Nakishojo: the Weeping Maiden
by Starsister12
Summary: While searching for a shard of the Shikon Jewel, Inuyasha & Co. run into a forest guarded by an 1000 year old half demoness...who shares a deep, but hidden connection to both Kagome and Kikyo. Takes place after the First Movie but before Anime Episode 55.
1. The Forest of the Weeping Maiden

Chapter 1

_**The Forest of the Weeping Maiden**_

_Someone is coming._ She paused, cocking her head to one side. _Yes. No, many some ones. _A frown flickered across her face. _This is unusual. Wait. _She tensed slightly. _Two groups…unequal in number…yet equal in strength? _She shrugged and started to turn away, but froze as a new scent came on the wind. _Another group? _A single touch made her draw back, hissing. _Ada-yokai! Evil demons! _The three groups were on a collision course. She had been willing to let the first two pass or meet as they chose. But with a group of demons added to the mix…well, that she could not afford to ignore. With silent steps, she raced through the forest, fleet and unnoticed as the shadows cast by the moon.

---

"How long do we have to tromp through this forest?" asked Miroku, untangling the hem of his robes from grasping branches for the seventh time.

"Oh stop being such a baby," Sango answered. "The rest of us aren't having any trouble."

Miroku rolled his eyes skyward. "Heaven forbid that I ever disappoint or fail a beautiful woman," he said, and struggled gamely on.

"We'll tromp through this forest until we find that demon with those jewel shards that Kagome saw come in here," Inuyasha said through gritted teeth. "Or until we get to the other side, whichever comes first."

_Maybe I should have kept my mouth shut_, Kagome thought with a sigh, pushing a vine out of her way. They were reluctant to use Shippo's foxfire to burn out a path for fear of setting the whole forest ablaze or warning their quarry of their presence. So it had come down to mindless slogging through the thickest forest she had ever seen in her life. She looked ahead, Inuyasha's mane of white hair and gaudy red clothing the only things that stood out in this world of twilight green. _He'd keep going all night if he thought he'd get away with it_, Kagome thought, glancing down at her watch. "Inuyasha!" she called.

A pair of golden eyes bisected with cat-like pupils flashed. "Yeah, what is it?"

"It's getting awfully close to dark," she said, coming to a halt beside the young half-demon. "We might want to start looking for a place to camp."

"Huh. If we take time for that, then the demon will get away!" Inuyasha answered.

Kagome put her hands on her hips. "Chances are that demon is already miles and miles away. We won't find it any faster if we fall and break our necks in the dark. Maybe you and Shippo can see at night, but Sango, Miroku, and I can't."

Inuyasha glared at her for a moment. "I'll keep my eyes open," he finally said grudgingly, then turned and continued to slash through the undergrowth with his claws. Kagome breathed a sigh of frustration, but knew that was the greatest concession she'd get.

Suddenly, Inuyasha dropped out of sight and a startled yell split the air.

"Inuyasha!" called Kagome, racing forward and skidding to a halt at the edge of a sharp drop. It wasn't a cliff, but unwary interlopers would be unpleasantly surprised with the steepness of it. Inuyasha was lying at the bottom, a tangle of robes, hair, and scabbard, stunned, but otherwise unhurt. Shippo, Miroku, and Sango, holding Kirara, came up behind Kagome.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome called again. "Are you alright?"

"What's it look like?" the half-demon growled, slowly picking himself up. "Why don't you try it and see?" Kagome made a face.

"This isn't a natural bluff," said Sango thoughtfully. "It's too sheer, too neat."

"And look, the forest has been cleared," said Miroku, pointing with his staff. The unnatural bluff extended along the tangled forest in both directions, fading out of sight, all uniformly smoothed and steep. The land below the bluff had been cleared of all vegetation, save grass, acting as a sort of open buffer zone between the thick forest and a second line of trees.

"It's a forest within a forest," said Kagome, staring.

"It looks like someone under siege," answered Miroku grimly. 'That open ground will make it impossible for anyone to cross without being seen."

"But…who could have done this?" asked Kagome.

"Someone with a lot of power," growled Inuyasha, his sharp ears picking up every word of their conversation. "Hey, come on! We've gotta keep moving! I don't want to be stuck in the middle of this plain longer than we have to."

Kirara obligingly leapt down from Sango's arms and changed into her larger battle-form to carry down her human passengers. Shippo clung to Kagome's shoulder, looking around as if expecting to see eyes peering at them from the trees. Kagome herself cast a worried look at the sun, which was sinking lower in the sky. In a few hours, it would be dark. And they would be within a place that someone probably didn't want them to be in.

When they entered the second forest, Kagome's feeling of uneasiness increased. There was much less undergrowth and the trees grew farther apart, much more like the forests she was used to going through, but compared to the thick tangle they had clambered through earlier that day, it seemed like a well-tended garden. It was making her nervous.

"Kagome, will you stop twitching!" growled Inuyasha. "It's very distracting."

"Sorry, it's just…" She paused.

Inuyasha stopped and looked back at her. "What? Are you sensing the jewel shard?"

"No, not that," said Kagome. "It's just…" She glanced around, and said softly, "This place is giving me the creeps."

"Why? Looks perfectly normal to me."

"That's why I'm nervous. _Because_ it looks so normal. But that thick forest? The bluff? The plain? Those weren't normal, so what makes you think this place is?"

Inuyasha glanced around, sniffing the air of the small clearing. Nothing looked or smelled out of the ordinary…but like Kagome said, that didn't necessarily mean anything. Suddenly, he caught a familiar scent. Pushing Kagome behind him, he unsheathed the Tetsusaiga.

"What–?" Kagome cut the question off in mid-sentence as she saw what had caught Inuyasha's attention. "Sesshomaru!"

"Well, well, well. If it isn't my little brother Inuyasha," purred Sesshomaru.

Kagome could see that this wasn't going to turn out well. There would be bloodshed; there always was when the two brothers met. They hated each other with a passion, though Inuyasha's hate burned like fire and Sesshomaru's was cold as ice. A breeze ruffled the fur draped over the full-demon's arm and swept through his long, silver-white hair. Golden eyes surveyed the scene with a cold, dispassionate gaze. Keeping well back in the bushes, her eyes wide and round, was Rin, the little human girl who followed Sesshomaru around, with Jaken, a small frog-like demon who was the dog-demon's servant.

"What are you doing here?" Inuyasha demanded. "I thought you weren't after the Shikon Jewel."

"The Jewel? I have no interest in parlor tricks such as that," Sesshomaru answered, raising one elegant eyebrow. "Did you come seeking its shards here?"

"That's my business," said Inuyasha, eying his brother.

Sesshomaru's golden eyes narrowed. "So. You do not know where you are."

"Huh? What's he talking about, Inuyasha?" asked Shippo.

"You are in the Forest of the Weeping Maiden," said Sesshomaru. "It is guarded by a powerful demon who hordes secrets of power in its hidden lair. I have come to discover those secrets. Yet you," he said with distain, "stumble around like a lost puppy after a toy."

Inuyasha snarled at the insult, and Kagome laid a cautious hand on his arm. "Inuyasha," she said softly, "Let it go. We don't have time to get in a fight right now."

"Still hiding behind that pathetic human female?" Sesshomaru taunted. "I suppose that's all one can expect from a half-breed."

Almost before the words finished leaving his brother's mouth, Inuyasha was charging forward, the Tetsusaiga positioned to cleave Sesshomaru in two. The older demon's blade leapt out to meet the Tetsusaiga with a ringing clash of power. For a moment, the blades held, locked together, then Sesshomaru pushed Inuyasha back with a vicious swipe. The half-demon leapt backwards and swiftly reversed direction, charging at Sesshomaru. This time Sesshomaru dodged, slashing at his brother's side, which Inuyasha barely managed to avoid in time, throwing himself out of the path of the sword. The two of them circled, searching for an opening to attack.

"Argh, we don't have time for this!" cried Kagome, reaching for an arrow from the quiver on her back. Suddenly she lost her grip on the arrow and fell to her knees, crying out in pain.

"Kagome!" shouted Inuyasha, distracted and barely dodging another cut from his brother. "Kagome!"

The girl levered herself up, staring at the sky in horror. "Demons!" she whispered. "My God, there's no end to them…the aura…it's so strong…"

Miroku started to pull off the rosary beads sealing the wind tunnel in his palm. "Inuyasha!" he called. "We've got company!"

"What?" Inuyasha glanced up and Sesshomaru let out a low hiss of surprise.

"A demon horde!" said Sesshomaru, his eyes narrowed in thought. "But coming here…?" He glanced at Inuyasha, who hovered with indecision. "We will continue our little battle some other time, little brother," he said.

Inuyasha glared at Sesshomaru, but could not argue. A demon army was a bigger problem than Sesshomaru, though not by much. "What, aren't they friends of yours?" he spat.

"You know me better than that, Inuyasha," answered Sesshomaru, turning his attention to the approaching horde of demons in the sky, his claws glowing with the beginnings of a spell.

Snarling in frustration, Inuyasha bounded back to where Kagome and the others were preparing to face this new threat. Kirara had shifted into battle-form with Sango on her back, her boomerang, the hirai-kotsu, at the ready. Kagome was on her feet again, pale, but with an arrow nocked in the bow. Shippo was clinging to Kagome's leg and Miroku finished pulling the cloth from his hand.

"_Wind tunnel_!" he shouted as the sucking vortex appeared, drawing in the demons. The demon horde parted like water and dove at them from either side, trying to get in close so the wind tunnel would be a greater hindrance than a help.

Kirara took to the sky, claws shredding demons in her path as Sango whipped the boomerang over her shoulder. "_Hirai-kotsu_!" she cried, the deadly weapon cleaving a score of demons in half with one pass.

"Taste my _Wind Scar_!" snarled Inuyasha, unleashing one of the Tetsusaiga's most deadly powers at the horde. More demons died…but more came to take their place.

Sesshomaru almost contemptuously ripped dozens demons apart with his extending claws before they came in close enough for them to taste the cold steel of his blade. Jaken was using fire from the Staff of Two Heads to protect himself and Rin. The demon glanced over at Inuyasha, weighing his brother's growing power.

"There's no end to them," whispered Kagome in dismay, releasing one of her arrows. Blue light surrounded the sacred arrow, burning a path through the demons. One of them pointed down at her.

"There!" he rasped. "She has the shards! Get her, and have power beyond imagining!"

"I don't think so!" growled Inuyasha, interposing his body between Kagome and the demons. The demon who had spoken leered at Inuyasha, firing a blast of demonic energy.

"_Backlash Wave_!" Inuyasha shouted, reflecting the energy back at the demon, incinerating it, along with several of its followers. But the remaining demons were not deterred, continuing to mount the attack. There were so many demons in the air that Kirara was forced to land and Miroku desperately tried to fend them off with his jingling staff so Sango could throw her hirai-kotsu. Even Shippo was trying to help by throwing foxfire, but it was doing little good, since most fox-magic is geared towards illusion.

Suddenly, numerous knobby, clawed hands grabbed a hold of Kagome. "Ahhhh!" she yelled, frantically tugging at the hands which were lifting her off the ground. "Get off of me! Let go! Inuyasha, help!"

"Kagome!" shouted Inuyasha, struggling to escape the tangle of demons surrounding him to help her, but the demons were too many. "Out of my WAY!" he roared, as if by sheer force of will he could toss them aside.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome shouted, desperately struggling to escape, but the demons held her too tightly, their hands groping towards small jar holding the Shikon Jewel shards. _No_, she thought, trying to pull away. _No, no, no! Someone, please help!_

Something swished past her face and a demon screamed in pain. More silver blurs whizzed past, striking the demons holding her. _What on earth−? _Kagome thought. The hands released her, and the girl fell, landing on the corpse on one of the demons. She shrieked, scrambling off the grisly body. Embedded in the demon's heart was a small, graceful dagger. _But…who? _Kagome thought, looking around for the source of the daggers.

"Kagome!" said Inuyasha, slicing the last demon in front of him in half and running over to her. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," she said. "But who…who is throwing the daggers?"

"Huh? Daggers?" Inuyasha's eyes darted around the woods. "There!" he said, pointing.

Backlit by the dying light of the sun stood a tall figure, the wind whipping its long hair and robes. With a single swift motion, it pulled a pair of daggers from its waist and threw them with deadly accuracy into the throats of two demons trying to behead Miroku. A pair of longer matching daggers, almost swords, leapt into the newcomer's hands and, with a single bound, entered the fray. Kagome caught a glimpse of a woman's face, still and hard as ice framed by white hair.

"A demon!" hissed Inuyasha. He blinked in surprise. "She's fast."

The demon was a silver-blue blur like her daggers, ripping, slashing, and tearing through the demons as if they were paper. She said no words, but her daggers suddenly blazed with forks of lightning, leaping from demon to demon, blasting them apart. With a gesture, the daggers that had already found targets jerked free and flew in all directions. Kagome and the others could no longer fight, for fear of being hit by the flying daggers. But they really didn't need to fight now…the demon horde was being decimated by the newcomer.

"The Nakishojo!" shrieked one of the demons, attempting to flee before the demon woman cut him down. His cry of fear turned into a gurgle as one of the silver daggers slit his throat. The remaining demons, seeing how outmatched they were, also attempted to escape, flying into the air. The demon stood still on the ground, looking up at them. Then, she crossed her blades above her head, the wind whipping around her frame like a miniature storm.

"_Tanto_ _tatsumaki_!" shouted the demon. A whirling spout of wind and water leapt from her crossed swords in a roaring blaze of blue-white power that caught the fleeing demons. Then the silver daggers dove in, slashing the trapped demons apart. Kagome covered her ears, trying to block out the dying screams.

When the screaming had stopped, the waterspout condensed in upon itself, withdrawing back into the crossed swords. With a flash, it was gone, along with the remains of the demons, the silver daggers, and the howling wind. In a single fluid motion, the demon lowered the swords, sheathed them, and turned towards Sesshomaru.

Inuyasha's brother still had his sword unsheathed and was watching the newcomer warily. For a moment, no one moved. The demon's back was to them, but Kagome heard a low snarl rumble in the woman's throat. Sesshomaru tensed, hissing, "The Nakishojo…"

The demon woman's arm flashed in a quick gesture. Sesshomaru went flying through the air and slammed head first into a tree. With a groan, he slid to the ground, unconscious. Rin tried to stifle a cry of dismay, shivering in fear in the bushes. Jaken's beak opened and closed wordlessly. The others stared, frozen in shock.

"Out of the frying pan into the fire," Miroku muttered.

---


	2. The Meeting

Chapter 2

_**The Meeting**_

Kagome kept as still as she could. Who knew what this new demon would do to them after dispatching the other demons so easily. Subduing Sesshomaru with a single gesture…that was an amazing feat in itself. Inuyasha was a match for most demons, but he was outclassed in power by his half-brother. And if this demon could defeat Sesshomaru, on top of killing all those demons, that meant she was a force to be reckoned with. Miroku and Sango were also staying motionless, but ready to fight if necessary. Kirara was growling low in her throat, but making no movement, and Shippo was trying to make himself invisible in the grass. Even Inuyasha was watching the newcomer warily.

Slowly, the demon turned towards Kagome. A pair of fierce, sky blue cat-eyes met Kagome's soft brown ones. A light blue tunic and breeches wrapped the demon's tall, thin frame and the twin curving blades were sheathed at her waist. Like Inuyasha, the demon was barefoot and the claws on her hands were the same blue as her clothing. A white carnation was tucked into her free-flowing white hair. She cocked her head slightly to one side, her face still and serene as the white face of the moon, giving no indication of her thoughts or intent. Kagome noted with some surprise that there were no demon-marks on that still, white face like those on Sesshomaru when he was in human form, which was rather odd. The demon continued to watch Kagome for a long moment, then took a step toward her.

Inuyasha bounded in front of Kagome, the Tetsusaiga unsheathed. "Who are you?" he snarled. "What do you want with us?"

The woman paused, her eyes drawn to the half-demon's blazing golden gaze. Her nostrils flared and she took another step.

"I'm warning you!" growled Inuyasha, still blocking the demon's path.

Again, the demon paused. Then, she spoke. "Hold out your hand."

Kagome blinked. The demon's voice was melodic and very deep, but undeniably female, with a tone of gentle command. However, Inuyasha never liked demands.

"Either state your business, or taste my Tetsusaiga!"

For a third time, the demon stopped. Her voice was soft. "Move."

"Yeeehaaaa!" With that simple word, Inuyasha was violently flung out of the demon's way and into Miroku and Sango, knocking them down like nine-pins. Kagome began to tremble, not even daring to call out Inuyasha's name for fear that the demon would do something to her as well.

The demon turned her face back toward the terrified human girl. "Hold out your hand," she commanded once more.

"W-W-What are y-you going t-to do to me?" Kagome asked, unable to keep the tremor out of her voice.

A slender eyebrow raised in surprise. "Hold out your hand," the demon repeated, but this time, her voice held a gentler tone. Slowly, Kagome extended her hand. "Palm up," the demon said quietly. Still quivering, the girl obeyed.

"Kagome!" shouted Inuyasha, struggling to his feet, hindered as much as helped by Miroku.

"Peace," said the demon, reaching behind her own neck with both hands and pulling a chain over her head. At the end of the chain was a small pouch, like the ones used to carry good-luck charms, only this one was made of black silk. Carefully, the demon set the pouch in Kagome's hand, and the girl felt a strange tingling race through her body. "Open it," came the soft command.

"Kagome, don't!" yelled Inuyasha, starting to race towards her and the demon. "It's probably got some kind of spell!"

"I don't think this demon would need spells to hurt us," Miroku commented ruefully. "She wouldn't need to waste the time."

The demon turned her head towards the young monk. "Truth, monk," she said. Her eyes narrowed at Inuyasha. "You," she pronounced, "must learn manners. Your mistress has taught you little of this, I think."

"Excuse me," said Kagome as Inuyasha sputtered in impotent rage, "but did you say 'mistress'?!"

Again, the blue eyes swung back. "He wears the Beads of Subjugation. And you have not opened it. Do so, my time is short."

Kagome looked at the small pouch in her hand, and carefully pulled it open. A familiar pinkish glow met her eyes. "Th-th-this is…a piece of the Shikon Jewel!"

"WHAT?!" her four friends cried.

"Are you sure?" Inuyasha demanded, bounding to her side, the demon forgotten.

"Positive!" Kagome answered, pouring the pieces of the Jewel onto her palm.

"But…there are so many…" breathed Sango, almost speechless in wonder.

"Wow, let me see!" cried Shippo, clambering onto Kagome's shoulder.

"Someone's been busy," Miroku commented, the chimes on his staff clinking musically as he peered over Sango's shoulder.

Kagome looked up at the demon in awe. "But…why?"

The demon woman blinked. "And why not?"

"You could use them to increase your demonic powers," Miroku offered.

"Miroku!" cried Sango, cuffing him across the head.

"The monk has a point," Inuyasha said, looking at the demon suspiciously. "Why are you giving us the shards? And why couldn't Kagome see them on you?"

"The bag is woven from _ki-lin_ hair," she answered, nodding at the pouch. "It is impervious to the Second-Sight as well as the eyes of demons. Place the other shards in it as well. They will be rendered invisible unless you take them out. This should prevent demons from realizing you have them. It may give you a slight advantage."

"But that still doesn't explain why you're just _giving_ us the shards!" Inuyasha growled, flexing his claws.

"Are you looking for a fight, dog-child?" the demon woman said coolly. "Count your blessings that you are not a full-blood, or I would have slain you on the spot." She turned away from Kagome and began walking into the woods. "Now go, before that other one wakes up. I will have no more battles in my forest."

"Wait!" cried Kagome, running after the woman.

The blue eyes swung around, a question in their depths.

Kagome paused, and bowed, clutching the _ki-lin_ bag to her chest. "I don't know why you gave the shards to me…but, I thank you."

For a moment, the woman was still, gazing at the human girl. "You smell kind," she said softly, "O daughter of my heart." Then, with a swirl of wind and white hair, she was gone.

Kagome stared at the spot where the demon woman had stood, slightly dazed. _"Daughter of my heart?" What did she mean? Is that why she gave me the shards? But…I thought demons weren't that, well, _human_ in their emotions. So why? Because I "smell kind?" Whatever _that _means…_

"Are you alright, Kagome?" Sango's voice pierced her surprise.

"Yeah, I'm fine," said Kagome. "Just a little…stunned, I guess. I didn't think demons were like that. I mean, the only full-bloods we met always want to kill us, so I don't understand why this one acted different."

"I don't like it," growled Inuyasha. "It's gotta be a trap of some kind."

"Uh, I hate to be the voice of doom and gloom," said Miroku, "but I think we should discuss this later, preferably far away from here. I don't want to be around when Sesshomaru wakes up. He's going to be in a very unpleasant mood."

Inuyasha hefted the Tetsusaiga. "Well then, I'll take care of him right here and now."

"No, Inuyasha!" cried Kagome, grabbing his arm. "Remember what she said! No fighting!"

"And we may never have a better chance to get rid of him!" he snarled, yanking free of her grasp. "I'm tired of having my brother show up and making a nuisance of himself! It's going to end now!"

Fear surged in Kagome's heart. She had a feeling that the strange demon woman, even though she had spared their lives, would not tolerate a direct violation of her orders. "Inuyasha, sit!" she cried.

_WHAM!_ The half-demon slammed into the ground, momentarily stunned. Kagome grabbed one arm and called to Sango, Miroku, and Shippo, "C'mon, let's get out of here!" The others hurried to help her, pulling the still stunned Inuyasha onto Kirara's back with Sango while Miroku and Kagome hopped onto a transformed Shippo took to the skies.

Not so far away, a pair of blue eyes watched silently, a pair of ears twitched forward to listen, and a fanged smile widened with satisfaction. She had chosen well.

---

"Inuyasha, please come eat."

Perched high on a branch in the tree above them, Inuyasha just snorted and continued to ignore Kagome's calls. The little group had been unable to get out of the forest, or even back to the open plains, before the sun had set, so they had set up camp at the foot of a tree near a small stream. Sango, Miroku, and Shippo had already finished their meals. Kagome had been trying for almost an hour to coax Inuyasha down from his perch.

"Fine," she muttered, sitting down by the fire and jabbing at the cold noodles in the bowl. "Go ahead and sulk."

"Don't mind him, Kagome," said Sango, gently patting the younger girl on the arm. "He'll get over it. Miroku and I still think you did the right thing."

Kagome still felt hurt. After all she had only been trying to protect Inuyasha…_Kikyo would have found a way to convince him_, a little voice whispered in her mind. Frowning, Kagome shook the thought away. _This is no time to be petty_, she told herself sternly. _We've got to get out of this forest tomorrow, before that woman comes back._

"You know," said Miroku thoughtfully, "there was something strangely familiar about that woman."

"Don't tell me you've tried flirting with her," said Sango in a half-joking tone.

Miroku laughed. "No, no, I've never seen her before. But that's why it's really strange that she seems familiar."

"Part of some of your perverted fantasies," mumbled Shippo through a mouthful of noodles. The next moment, Sango was busy trying to keep Shippo from choking on his food after Miroku swatted him.

"I'm serious!" said Miroku as Sango glared at him. "Something in her movements, her quiet, careful way of speaking, it reminded me of…of…"

"Of Kikyo," said a quiet voice.

"Huh?" Miroku and Sango turned towards Kagome in surprise. Even Shippo forgot the lump on his head and stared.

"I don't understand," said Sango.

"What do you mean, like Kikyo?" asked Inuyasha, leaping lightly down from the tree.

Kagome suppressed a wince, and kept speaking, looking into the fire so she wouldn't have to look at Inuyasha. "She moved and spoke like Kikyo," she said. "The same careful, economical movements, the same quiet, careful way of speaking, the same calm manner, the same grace and poise…" her voice trailed off. "Even her eyes. Not the same color, but that same expression of _knowing_."

The others were staring. "But why?" asked Sango. "Why would a demon act like Kikyo?"

Inuyasha was watching Kagome carefully. He'd never heard her speak of Kikyo like that, and it felt odd. Her eyes looked far away, staring into the flames, but not seeing them, her face as still and blank as the demon woman's. In that moment, she _looked_ like Kikyo…and that scared him.

"Any food left?" he asked gruffly. "I'm starving."

Kagome shoved her bowl into his hands. "It's cold," she warned, still not looking at him.

"Cold?! Why's the food cold?"

"It would have been warm if you'd come down sooner rather than acting like a sulky brat!" Kagome snapped, turning to glare at him.

"If you'd let me kill Sesshomaru rather than using these cursed beads to-"

"She would have killed you!" Kagome yelled. "Didn't you hear her? She said, 'No more battles!' And you wanted to disobey her? After what she did to those demons?" The girl shook her head in frustration.

Inuyasha bent his head over the cold noodles. "I could have taken her on," he mumbled.

"Oh, you're hopeless," Kagome muttered, standing and walking towards their stashed gear.

"Hey!" called Inuyasha, "Where are you going?"

"To sleep!" Kagome shot back over her shoulder. She grabbed on of the blankets and huddling under it, her back against the sheltering tree, eyes facing out into the darkness and away from the fire, so no one would see her face. A little while later, a gentle hand touched her shoulder and she heard Sango's voice speak her name. But Kagome just drew the blanket tighter and turned her face away. She was being silly, she knew, but right now, she didn't want to talk to or see anyone. Sango waited a moment before squeezing Kagome's shoulder comfortingly and walking away.

---


	3. Dreams and Demon Hunting

Chapter 3

_**Dreams and Demon-Hunting**_

_Moonlight streams through the trees, sheathing everything in silver. Soft, sad music floats on the wind, a lonely howling in the night behind sheltering stone walls. Many eyes, all different colors, but all with a familiar cat-pupil, gleam in the dark. An infant cries and her heart twists in sympathy. Rustling leaves whisper soothingly, but sorrow and anger runs too deep. A stone marker in a lake, silver tears running down, the bitter taste of blood in the mouth. An ache so deep within, it will never cease. . . _

"Kagome? Kagome, wake up!" Inuyasha's voice broke through.

Kagome jerked awake, seeing the concerned faces of her friends bending over her. "What…? What is it?" she asked, confused.

"You were crying," said Sango, looking concerned.

"I was?" Kagome touched her cheek and it came away wet. She stared at the tears in surprise.

"You were shaking too," said Shippo. "Must have been some dream."

"I guess," Kagome said uncertainly, trying to remember what in the dream could have made her cry.

"Do you remember any of it?" asked Miroku. "Sometimes dreams can have meaning, and with your strong spiritual powers…"

Kagome frowned. "I can only remember fragments," she said, "just bits and pieces, like from a larger dream. Stone walls, glowing eyes, a lake…" Her head snapped up. "A baby. I heard a baby crying."

"Right. What would a baby be doing out here?" Inuyasha asked skeptically.

"Hey, it was a dream, okay!" she snapped. "Sheesh, I never said I actually heard it!" Kagome drew her knees up to her chest. "This place is still giving me the creeps. I've never had dreams like this before."

"And I don't like that demon woman," growled Inuyasha. "She's trouble."

"Stone walls," murmured Miroku. "I wonder if that has anything to do with the demon lair Sesshomaru was talking about."

"Alright, that's it," growled Inuyasha, turning and stalking away.

"Inuyasha!" shouted Kagome. "Where are you going?"

"I'm gonna go find that damn demon," he said over his shoulder. "The rest of you get back to the plains, I'll meet you there."

"Forget it!" growled Kagome. "You are not going anywhere without us!"

"Heh," chuckled the half-demon. "You'd better move fast then, 'cause I'm going, like it or not."

The others scrambled to collect their gear.

"I thought we wanted to stay away from that demon," said Shippo nervously.

"Yeah, but Inuyasha's so stubborn, he won't stop until he's gotten whatever it is he wants," grumbled Kagome. "If I try what I did yesterday with the beads, he'll just sneak off and then we won't have any idea where to find him." She savagely pulled on her yellow backpack. "I just wish I knew _why_ he's being this…this…stupid!"

"He's worried about you," said Sango quietly. "I'll bet he thinks the demon woman cursed you or something and that's why you had that dream."

Kagome paused, glancing at Inuyasha, who was tapping his foot impatiently at the edge of the clearing. "You really think so, Sango?"

The demon-slayer nodded with a slight smile as Kagome blushed, and the remaining four friends followed the half-demon into the depths of the forest.

---

"Damn it, still nothing," muttered Inuyasha. "Kagome, can you see anything?"

"No, nothing," Kagome answered tiredly. Her eyes were beginning to feel the strain of looking for traces of demonic aura. Thank goodness this trek was easier than in the tangled barrier forest, but they had been searching all day with no results.

"Are we just going in circles?" asked Miroku. "It doesn't feel like we've gone anywhere."

"Forests mess with your sense of time and direction," answered Sango, "because everything looks basically the same."

"No, we haven't gone back over our tracks," said Inuyasha. "I would have smelled it."

"Maybe your sense of smell got dulled," put in Shippo. "After all, you've been trying to inhale the whole woods all day."

Inuyasha whirled, snarling and knocked Shippo across the head. "Keep your mouth shut or I'll stuff your tail down your throat!"

"Inuyasha!" cried Kagome, cradling an indignant Shippo. "That was uncalled for!"

"No, it wasn't," he answered.

"Yes, it…oh, never mind." Kagome's eyes flicked back to watching the forest.

_She's…she's not arguing?_ Inuyasha thought, a look of concern crossing his face. _This is bad. That demon _must _have done something to her. Usually you can't get her to shut up, but now…_

"What?" Kagome asked, seeing his look.

"Um…are you…doing okay, Kagome?" he asked awkwardly.

The girl nodded, a slight smile on her face. "Yeah, I'm okay. I just wish we'd find something so we can get out of here."

"We will, don't worry," Inuyasha said confidently. "She can't hide forever."

"Then how come she was able to sneak up on you last time?" Shippo ventured, darting out of the way before the irate half-demon could hit him again.

"If you recall, we were all a little busy last time, Shippo," said Sango dryly.

"Plus she was downwind," Inuyasha said, glaring at the young fox-demon. "I couldn't get her scent at all."

"Then how—?"

"Shhhh!" hissed Kagome. "I thought I heard something!"

Everyone froze, listening. After a moment, Inuyasha snorted. "Huh. I don't hear anything, and my ears are a lot better than yours."

"I know I heard something!" Kagome insisted, turning around in a circle, trying to catch the sound again.

"Are you sure you weren't imagining things?" Miroku asked carefully.

"Positive!" Kagome growled, eyes narrowed in frustration. "There!" she cried, racing off into the woods.

"Kagome!" Inuyasha called. "Damn that girl," he growled, bounding after her.

"With all this racket, whatever it is will be long gone," muttered Sango as she and Miroku ran after Inuyasha, Kirara and Shippo following at their heels.

Kagome kept running, following the sound. It was actually more like a feeling than an actual sound, but it was so strong that the details didn't matter. She didn't even look back to see if the others were following. Then, a sense of proximity and caution overcame her, and she slowed to a slow, careful walk, trying to be as quiet as possible. Suddenly, a hand gripped her arm.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?!" hissed Inuyasha. "Running off like that, I oughta—"

Kagome pressed a finger to his lips. He blinked in astonishment. "Wha—?"

"Quiet," Kagome whispered. "Someone's close."

Inuyasha tensed, sniffing the air and pricking his ears forward. Yes, someone was there, he could hear the sound of footsteps. Keeping a grip on Kagome's arm, the half-demon slowly and stealthily made his way towards the sound, hugging the shadows. He could hear a voice, no, two voices speaking softly, just ahead. Once again, they were downwind of him, so he couldn't smell them…

"Ahhhhhh!"

Inuyasha and Kagome found themselves flying forward as Miroku and Sango, unable to see as well in the growing dusk, slammed into them. The four of them came crashing to the ground in a groaning, tangled heap of arms and legs.

"Idiots!" roared Inuyasha, struggling to get free of the pile to face whoever it was that Kagome had been trailing. The half-demon clambered to his feet, pulling free the Tetsusaiga.

"Um, Inuyasha? I don't think you need that," said Kagome, her voice sounding a little odd.

"Huh?" He looked down and standing there, eyes wide, were two small half-demons.

---


	4. Seidou

Chapter 4

_**Seidou**_

Inuyasha stared, taken aback with shock. _Half-demons…there are half-demons here?_

_They're only children_, thought Kagome. _They can't be more than six or seven years old._ One of them was a little boy, dressed in a simple red tunic and black pants with bare feet and a sash around his waist. His hair was as white as Inuyasha's, and a pair of dog ears peeked out of the snowy mane. The other was also a half dog-demon, but she was a little girl with black hair and ears dressed in green and black. Both had golden cat-eyes, but while the girl's were wide in surprise, the boy's were fierce and protective.

"Keep back!" he shouted, glaring at them as he shielded the little girl. "Kaze," he said, "Get out of here! Go find Akaaka and Lady Namida!"

The girl's eyes hardened with stubborn determination. "No, I'm not leaving you."

Kagome crouched down on her knees. "Don't be afraid," she said gently. "We're not going to hurt you."

"Huh, says you," answered the little boy, looking suspicious. "Why should we believe you?"

"Well, I'll be," said Miroku, standing up behind Inuyasha and Kagome. "I didn't know there were other half-demons besides Inuyasha."

"Inuyasha?" repeated the little girl, her small black ears pricking forward with interest.

"You've heard of Inuyasha?" Kagome asked.

"Of course!" said the girl, her eyes glowing. "He's the greatest half-demon who ever lived! Besides Lady Namida, of course."

"Looks like you're famous, Inuyasha," said Sango with a grin.

The little girl stared at the thunderstruck half-demon. "_You're_ Inuyasha?!" she squealed in delight.

"Kaze!" cried the boy. "We don't know that. They could be anyone, even demons trying to trick us!"

"Why would we have any reason to trick you?" Kagome asked. "Is there some kind of proof you need? This is Inuyasha. That's Miroku, Sango, Shippo, and Kirara."

"And who are you?" the half-demon boy asked suspiciously.

"I'm Kagome."

Two sets of round golden eyes went even larger. "You're Kagome?" the boy said, surprised.

"Then you _have_ to be Inuyasha!" the girl cried, clapping her hands together.

"What makes you say that?" asked Inuyasha.

"Cause everyone knows Inuyasha and Kagome never go anywhere without the other," she answered, bowing to Kagome. "I'm Kaze, and this is my friend Tanshin."

"Kaze…" Tanshin sighed, shaking his head in defeat

Kagome smiled. "Pleased to meet you, Kaze, Tanshin. I'm sorry if we startled you."

Kaze grinned. "No, it's okay. Tanshin heard someone coming, but we thought it was Akaaka or Ookami."

"Who are they? And what are two kids like you doing out here alone in a place like this?" Inuyasha asked, sheathing the Tetsusaiga.

The two children glanced at one another. "Before we say anymore, you have to touch this," said Kaze, pulling something out of her pocket.

"What is it?" Shippo asked, peering down from his perch on Sango's shoulder.

In the girl's hand was a smooth, translucent blue stone, about twice the size of a robin's egg.

"It's something that tells us friend from foe," said Tanshin, pulling an identical stone out of his pocket. "Lady Namida made them to get rid of spells so demons couldn't sneak in pretending to be one of us."

"So, what happens when you touch it?" asked Sango.

Tanshin shrugged. "If you're good, nothing will happen. If you're bad, then…well…bad things will happen to you."

Inuyasha crossed his arms. "And you expect us to just pick those things up and hope this Lady Namida of yours doesn't incinerate us?"

"If you're really Inuyasha, then you don't need to worry at all," said Kaze confidently. "Lady Namida speaks highly of you."

"Forget it!" Inuyasha said. "I'm not going to−"

Kagome reached out and touched the stone in Kaze's hand.

"Kagome!" shouted Inuyasha, reaching out to her, but jerking back as a blue light spread around her, emanating from the stone. For a moment, they seemed frozen, the mortal girl and the half-demon child, surrounded in light, connected through a shining stone. Then the light faded and it was just a simple stone in Kaze's hand.

Inuyasha grabbed Kagome's shoulders, pulling her up to face him and shaking her. "Don't you _ever_ do that to me again!" he bit out, punctuating each word with a shake.

"Stop it!" Kagome yelled back, pulling free. "Look, someone had to do it," she said, "and you're so stubborn, we'd have been here forever debating. So I thought I'd save us some time."

"Did you ever stop to think that you might have been _killed_?" Inuyasha replied, folding his arms across his chest so she wouldn't see how badly his hands were shaking. _I could have lost her…_ "Next time, at least tell me what the hell you're going to do first!"

Kagome blinked, taken aback. _Why is he over-reacting so badly?_ she wondered. _There wasn't any real danger, since we aren't evil._ "Okay, I'm sorry," she said, trying to forestall any further lectures.

The two children were staring, wide-eyed. "Yeah, that's Inuyasha and Kagome alright," said Tanshin, finally convinced. He held out his stone to Inuyasha. "Your turn."

Inuyasha looked at Tanshin suspiciously for a moment, then cautiously touched the stone with one claw. Again, blue light shone from the stone and the half-demon felt a cool shiver race through his body, but nothing else. "Well, better safe than sorry," he said gruffly, feeling a little foolish.

Kaze just smiled and offered her stone to Sango while Miroku took Tanshin's stone. After the stones had accepted them, Shippo and Kirara took their turns. Nothing untoward happened, though all felt an identical cool shiver of the stones' power. Once all of them had touched the stones, the two half-demon children visibly relaxed.

"Well, you weren't lying, at least," said Tanshin, carefully stowing his stone away.

Kaze clapped her hands. "Hooray, hooray! Now they can come meet the others!"

"The others?" Sango asked. "You mean, there are more of you?"

The children nodded. "Uh huh, we're two of the middle ones," answered Tanshin. "Akaaka, Rosuto, and Nodoka are the oldest, but most of us are just little ones."

"Younger than you?" asked Kagome.

Tanshin glared at her. "I'm seven!" he said indignantly. "That's not young!"

"Is too," said Kaze.

"Is not!"

"We're both in the middle," Kaze said, ignoring Tanshin. "Half of us are older, half of us are younger. But you'll see that when you meet them."

"Hey, who said anything about meeting them?" demanded Inuyasha.

Kaze stared in shock. "But…but you _have_ to meet them!"

Inuyasha snorted. "We're not here to sight-see. We're looking for a demon woman!"

The children froze. "A-a-a _demon_?" the little girl squeaked.

Tanshin snorted. "There are no demons here."

"What about you and your friends?" asked Miroku. "Don't you−"

"We're half-demons!" Tanshin interrupted angrily. "There's a difference! And there are _no_ demons here. Lady Namida has seen to that!"

"Where does Lady Namida live?" asked Kagome. "Maybe she can help us find this demon we're looking for."

"In Seidou," the children chorused.

"Where?" Kagome, Inuyasha, Sango, and Shippo asked at the same moment.

"In 'Sanctuary'…" Miroku mused quietly, a frown on his face.

Kaze reached out and took Kagome's hand. "Come on," she said. "We'll take you there."

Kagome allowed herself to be led into the woods by the little half-demon girl. Tanshin bounded slightly ahead, pausing and looking back now and then to make sure they were following. Sango, with Kirara in her arms, and Miroku, with Shippo on his shoulder, followed Kagome while Inuyasha, a scowl on his face, brought up the rear of the procession. By now, it was night, but the full moon gave just enough light to see by, and the half-demon children were careful to lead their human companions on the smoothest and safest paths. Suddenly, they felt a slight resistance in the air and a faint chill.

"That was the first shield," said Tanshin softly, glancing around at the trees.

"Pretty weak shield then," Inuyasha snorted.

"If the stones hadn't accepted you, then it wouldn't feel weak to you," Kaze answered solemnly. "We've seen demons try breaking it before. It−" she paused, shivering. "It…wasn't pretty."

"And the farther in you go, the stronger the shields," added Tanshin, shaking back his white mane. "And there are alarm spells all over the place. By now, the others know we're coming back."

"I wonder what the reception will be like," muttered Sango, tightening her one-handed grip on the hirai-kotsu.

"Never fear, gentle maiden," said Miroku gallantly, patting Sango's backside, "for I shall protect you."

"If I wasn't carrying Kirara, I'd slap you," Sango growled through gritted teeth, her face turning purple-red with anger and embarrassment. Kirara mewed and obligingly leapt down, allowing Sango to lay another souvenir of her affections across the monk's face.

"That had to hurt," said Tanshin, wincing in sympathy.

"But he did deserve it," said Kaze, a wicked grin on her face.

Kagome just sighed, shaking her head and tugging lightly at Kaze's hand. "Is it much farther to Seidou?" she asked. "We've been on our feet all day and a rest would be welcome."

The little girl smiled, showing tiny fangs, and shook her head. "Not much farther."

They continued walking through the moon-shadowed trees, the children moving at a slightly faster pace, as if eager to reach their destination. Kagome and the others followed as quickly as they could, also eager for an end to their journey.

Then the forest seemed to part before them, revealing a wide lake nestled at the base of a mountain. Sheer, jagged spires of rock soared into the air, creating a formidable barrier. Small trees, stunted and twisted by the prevailing winds hugged the mountain's sides. Twin waterfalls cascaded from hidden springs within the rock into the lake below, and perched on a wide ledge between the waterfalls was a building.

It seemed to be carved from the side of the mountain itself, seamlessly fitting into place. Defensive ramparts encircled it, the inner buildings rising up higher behind them to give bowmen an added advantage of height. Windows in the outer walls were narrow slits, and the gate was set deeper into the walls with trap doors above it to pour boiling liquids down on invaders. Moonlight shone on protective sigils, runes, and wards that wound in fanciful patterns along the walls, adding an ornamental air to the palace, yet still brutally functional in their placement. It was a place built to withstand a physical and magical siege. Kagome and the others frozen in amazement on the lakeshore, staring in awe. The two children looked at the palace for a moment, then turned back to the companions, golden eyes glowing.

"Seidou," Kaze said softly.

---


	5. Across the Moonlight Bridge

Chapter 5

_**Across the Moonlight Bridge**_

For a long moment, no one spoke. Then, Miroku let out a low whistle. "Those are probably the most impressive defenses I have ever seen," he said.

"Tell me about it," said Sango. "It must have taken an army of demons to build such a structure!"

Kaze laughed brightly. "Oh no, Lady Namida made it."

"By herself?" squeaked Shippo, his eyes almost popping out of his head.

The two children nodded. "A long time ago," said Tanshin. "Rosuto says that it took the Lady nearly fifty years to build Seidou, and another hundred to put up the shields and make the forest grow the way she wanted."

Kagome gazed out over the silver-washed lake, her eyes consistently drawn upwards to the solid stone palace. "All this…" she whispered in awe. "All this…for half-demon children?" She looked down at Kaze and Tanshin. "She must care about you very much."

A pair of heads, one black and one white, bobbed up and down in silent agreement.

Inuyasha put his hands on his hips and glared up at Seidou. "So," he said roughly, "now that we're here, how are we supposed to get up there? Swim? Fly?"

"Like this," said Kaze, holding aloft her blue stone. Tanshin followed suit, raising his above his head. The stones began to glow with a familiar blue light, pulsing slightly, like a heartbeat. On the walls of Seidou, two blue flashes answered. A series of long and short flashes followed in quick bursts from Seidou and from the two children's stones. Finally, after what seemed like too long a time, Kaze and Tanshin lowered their stones.

"They're letting us in," said Tanshin, a look of relief on his face.

"So all that flashing was a code of some kind?" asked Kagome.

Kaze nodded. "They needed to know how many of you were coming in with us, if the stones had accepted you, and so on."

"If the stones hadn't accepted us, then how would we have gotten this far?" Inuyasha snorted.

The little girl looked at the older half-demon with solemn golden eyes. "Lady Namida says to never underestimate the enemy. She says that we really can't trust anyone, even with the stones. We always have to be prepared, just in case."

Kagome's heart went out to the little half-demons. "It's been hard for you, hasn't it?" she said softly.

Tanshin brushed his bangs out of his face, frowning slightly. "Not so much for us. Me and Kaze came here when we were really little, so we don't remember much of life outside Seidou. Same with Rosuto; he's been here for fifteen years, ever since Lady Namida found him as a baby. Most of the others had it a lot worse before coming here." He shrugged. "She just wants us to be ready when it's time to leave."

"When it's time to leave?" Kagome repeated, puzzled, but Kaze held up a hand to forestall her.

"Time to go home!" the little girl said gleefully. She and Tanshin held out their stones at waist height, a slight wind picking up and whispering through their hair. Four points of blue light, two from the children's stones, and two from Seidou gleamed like miniature stars. Then, the moonlight began to freeze.

Kagome gasped, taking a step back in astonishment as silver light began to take a more solid form right in front of them, leading across the lake and up the mountain to Seidou, and anchored by the four stones.

"Okay, hop on!" said Kaze.

"We have to follow behind you, so the moonlight bridge doesn't collapse," added Tanshin, nodding to Kagome.

Inuyasha pushed past. "I'll go first," he growled, "and take care of any unpleasant surprises."

"You know," said Sango nervously, looking at the wispy bridge, "Kirara could take us on up with no trouble."

The children shook their heads. "There are too many defensive spells for that to work," said Tanshin, "especially since so many demons fly. You'd be torn apart before Lady Namida could put up a counter-spell. This is the best way."

"Don't worry," Kaze said reassuringly. "You won't fall."

With more than a few misgivings, the companions stepped onto the moonlight bridge, and found it reassuringly solid underfoot, despite its fragile appearance. But it was so narrow that it was best to walk single file rather than two by two. Inuyasha went first, Kagome and Shippo close behind him, followed by Miroku, and then Sango. Kirara, in full battle-form walked behind Sango, ready to catch anyone if they did fall, and the two half-demon children brought up the rear, their stones still glowing with blue light. Kagome glanced back once and nearly froze in fear, for the bridge was disappearing just a few paces behind the heels of the half-demons. But Kaze smiled reassuringly, and the human girl swallowed, forcing her jelly-like legs to keep moving.

Inuyasha kept sniffing the air and looking around suspiciously, expecting some kind of trap. This Lady Namida was right; half-demons couldn't afford to trust anyone. _So why are you trusting these two now?_ a small voice whispered in his mind. _Are you really that desperate to see others like you? You want to see this...this haven for half-demons that badly? _He shook his head angrily. _No, I'm just here to see if Namida has any information about that demon. That's all._

"Inuyasha?" Kagome's voice broke through his thoughts.

"What do you want?" he asked irritably, glancing over his shoulder at the girl.

Kagome drew back, as if stung. "Nothing, I was just wondering if you were alright."

Inuyasha snorted. "Of course I am! I'm not one of you weakling humans," and lengthened his stride along the bridge.

Kagome lengthened her own stride to keep up, thinking, _Please don't close up on me, Inuyasha. This has got to be a shock to you, finding a whole conclave of half-demons you never knew existed. Do you still not trust me—us enough to let us know what you're thinking?_

Despite the huge distance that the bridge spanned, they made amazingly swift progress, Seidou looming closer and closer, accented by the increasing volume of the twin waterfalls. Miroku could not help but admire the exquisite care Lady Namida had taken placing her protective wards. It was almost an art form, but for any demon, it would be a death warrant. Suddenly, the monk stopped and let out a startled cry.

"Miroku, what is it?" Sango asked, starting to pull the hirai-kotsu from her back.

"It's the aura!" he said, pointing at Seidou.

"What aura?" asked Kagome, looking at the mountain fortress.

"That's just it!" cried Miroku. "There _is_ no demonic aura! And half-demons, like full-demons, have a certain aura to them, but I can't see anything, just the protective wards!"

Inuyasha fingered the hilt of Tetsusaiga. "Well, you little brats? What's your explanation?"

Both children stared, bewildered. "Of course there's an aura," said Kaze. "You just can't see it out here."

"Demons are attracted to strong auras," said Tanshin. "Lady Namida must have put up a shield so demons couldn't see our auras and come hunting for us." He glanced up at the sky nervously. "Can we please go now? I don't like being exposed out here like this."

"If you're lying…" Inuyasha growled.

"We have to trust them," said Kagome.

"Trust them?!" snapped Inuyasha. "You heard them earlier: half-demons don't trust anyone!"

"We've come this far," Kagome said reasonably. "We might as well keep going. Besides, why would they want to hurt another half-demon? You're like…an older brother."

Inuyasha laughed harshly. "Right, and you've seen how well brothers get along."

"They're _children_, for crying out loud!" snapped Kagome, losing patience. "I doubt that a pair of half-demon children is masterminding any sort of evil plot. If you're scared then go back! Otherwise, stop being so morose and try relaxing a little!" Face set in determination, Kagome pushed past the astonished half-demon, marching towards Seidou.

"H-hey!" Inuyasha protested, running to catch up. Sango and Miroku just sighed and Shippo rolled his eyes.

"He'll never learn," said the little fox-demon.

"Wow…" said Kaze. "Kagome can get scary when she wants to!"

"Yeah," said Tanshin, eyes wide. "Wonder how she'll get along with Akaaka?"

"Who's Akaaka?" asked Miroku.

"Scary," the children chorused.

With Kagome in the lead, the little group moved faster, eager to reach Seidou. The moonlight bridge arched over the walls and angled down into a sheltered courtyard. No one was on the ramparts, but that didn't seem to bother the little half-demons. They stepped off the bridge into a well-tended ornamental garden. Stones paved most of it, with artfully placed trees and shrubs creating an outdoor feel without being enclosing. A small lily pond was fed by a small spring and lined with colorful stones and the most beautiful lily flowers Kagome had ever seen.

"Hey, everyone!" cried Kaze, tucking away her blue stone. "We're back!"

"C'mon, don't be shy," said Tanshin. "It's Inuyasha and Kagome and their friends! We brought them!"

For a moment, there was silence. Then, a faint rustling ripped around the courtyard garden and eight half-demons emerged from various hiding places.

Kagome stared in amazement. She had never expected there to be so many of them. A tall, dignified girl in a dark blue kimono with black hair, deep violet eyes, and finned ears and arms stood up among the water lilies, holding the hand of a very small girl who could have only been her sister. The little girl laughed and pointed, and Kagome could see that her fingers were webbed. A boy with short, spiky white hair and intelligent green eyes swung down from the branches of a tree where a little girl with blue hair and feathers perched, watching with huge, cautious golden eyes. Another girl with dark skin, probably a year or two older than Kaze, stepped out from behind some bushes, brushing long, thick black bangs out of her black eyes, a pair of horse hooves tapping the ground rhythmically. Lounging casually on a rock, like she had every right to be there, was a girl younger than Kaze with tousled orange-stripped hair, gleaming green eyes, and a clever little mouth. She stretched lazily, revealing long cat claws and a pair of small pointed ears. Crouched on a pile of rocks and holding a dagger between his teeth was a black-haired boy with suspicious golden eyes who looked a lot like the wolf-demon Koga, tail and all. Another boy who looked to be as old as Inuyasha leaned against a tree with a katana sheathed at his waist and a look of wry amusement on his face. He was a half dog-demon like Inuyasha, golden eyes and all, though a streak of black ran through his hair rather than being entirely white.

None of the half-demon children appeared to be threatening, merely curious. But then Kagome heard the sound of a bow creaking into firing position and the little group turned. Standing there, arrow nocked and pointed right at Kagome, was a ninth half-demon, tall, red-haired girl dressed in red-brown leathers, glaring at them with furious green eyes. A luxurious red fox-tail twitched angrily behind her.

"Kaze. Tanshin," the half fox-demon growled, "What are you thinking, bringing _humans_ here?" Scorn layered her words, and the two half dog-demons trembled slightly.

"Akaaka, they're okay, honest!" cried Kaze. "We tested them with the stones and—"

"And rather than turning them away you lead them here?!" The girl's green eyes narrowed.

"Peace, Akaaka," said a deep, quiet voice.

The fox-demon girl spun around, lowering her bow. "But Namida, they…"

"They are here at my invitation. I will not have guests mistreated."

Akaaka snarled, but stepped away, glaring at the little group.

Kagome stared at the familiar figure standing in the arched entrance to the garden, cradling a small bundle in its arms. Long white hair and blue clothing rippled in the night breeze. The moonlight glinted off a pair of blades sheathed at the figure's waist and a pair of familiar blue eyes smiled into Kagome's.

Inuyasha leapt in front of Kagome, unsheathing the Tetsusaiga. "_You_!" he snarled. "Demon! I knew this was a trap!"

A single graceful eyebrow rose. "You are angry," said the woman Namida, "therefore I forgive you your insult. But I assure you, I am no demon." And she inclined her head slightly.

Kagome gasped. There, sticking out of the woman's long white mane was a pair of white ears. Dog ears, just like Inuyasha. They had been laid back tight against the woman's skull, blending in with her hair, giving her the illusion of full demon-hood. But now it was easy to see that the woman was no demon, for only half-demons had features that were mostly human yet retained animal traits from their demonic parent.

Namida smiled gently at their astonishment and bowed slightly, spreading her arm. "Welcome to Seidou, son of Izayoi."

---


	6. Accusations

Chapter 6

_**Accusations**_

"Y-y-you're a half-demon!" said Kagome, staring in fascination at the woman's pointed white ears.

Namida raised an elegant eyebrow. "You," she pronounced, "are observant."

Kagome flushed with embarrassment, ducking her head in apology.

"So, you are the Lady Namida that Kaze and Tanshin revere so highly," said Miroku with a bow. "Many thanks for saving us from those demons earlier."

"They were trespassers and had to be eliminated," Namida answered dismissively.

"But technically, we are also trespassers," said Sango carefully. "So why didn't you harm us?"

Namida looked at the demon-slayer for a moment. "You are not demons," the half-demon replied. Her gaze slid to Shippo and Kirara. "Or rather, not _ada-yokai_, evil demons," she amended. "You came searching for the Shikon Jewel, not for half-demon flesh, and so came under my protection."

"Forget protection!" growled Inuyasha, who had remained in a guard position, the Tetsusaiga gleaming in the moonlight. "Why did you pretend to be a full demon! And if you hate full demons so much, why did you leave Sesshomaru alive?" His voice lowered dangerously. "And I want to know how _you_ know my mother's name."

_Izayoi…his mother's name is Izayoi?_ Kagome thought, looking at Inuyasha curiously.

Namida was silent for a moment, pondering Inuyasha's questions. Her blue eyes were keen as the daggers she wielded. "I never pretended to be a full-blood," said Namida quietly. "You assumed that I was one. My ears were laid back, but being a dog demon, you could have circled around the wind to catch my scent. I am surprised that you did not realize I was a half-blood after seeing my aura."

"Your aura looked demonic to me," Miroku said, "and an exceptionally powerful one to boot."

It seemed to Kagome that Namida tensed slightly at those words, her face tightening.

"That's because Milady is so old and strong," put in the black-haired girl by the lily pond. Her violet eyes were calm and still. "There are no half-demons who can compare, so it would be easy for her aura to be mistaken. The _ada-yokai_ do so constantly."

Again, Kagome thought she saw Namida relax ever so slightly as she inclined her head towards the girl. "Very true, Nodoka," she said. "As for the full-blood Sesshomaru…" She paused and gave a slight sigh, closing her blue eyes for a moment. "I am honor-bound not to harm any of the progeny of Inu no Taisho, the Dog General."

Inuyasha blinked. "You knew my father?" he asked, startled.

"I knew _of_ him," Namida corrected. "I saw him from a distance several times, but we only actually met once. And he is the only full-blood I have ever respected."

"Why's that?" asked Kagome curiously.

The woman's blue eyes shifted to Kagome. "Because he was the only full-blood who fell in love with a human. The only one I have met personally, anyway. I believe there have been other demon-human pairings over the centuries that were made for love, but none as searingly powerful." Namida broke her gaze with Kagome. "It is very rare in demons," she mused, almost to herself. "Very rare."

"Why so rare?" Kagome pressed, honestly curious and hoping to learn a little more about Inuyasha's parents, something that her friend had always kept shrouded in mystery.

Namida blinked slowly. "Demons do not love," she said simply.

Suddenly a squalling wail broke the stillness and the bundle held in the crook of Namida's arm began squirming.

"Ah, someone has seen fit to remind me that it is past dinner time," the woman said, a smile flicking across her pale face. "And I have forgotten my manners as a host. Will you come sup with us?"

"Oh gladly!" cried Kagome, feeling her stomach rumble. "Thank you!"

Sango was looking curiously at the bundle. "Pardon me, milady, but what is that?"

Namida smiled. "This," she said, turning the bundle, "is our youngest member of Seidou." Wrapped in clothes and waving tiny fists, his little face scrunched up as he bawled, was an infant half-dog-demon. He looked rather like a baby Inuyasha. Both of the girls melted.

"Awwwww…." gushed Kagome.

"He's so cute," crooned Sango.

"May I hold him?" Kagome asked.

Namida looked at the human girl's wide, expectant eyes and eager face, and smiled gently. "Of course," she said, holding out the infant. Kagome took him carefully, cradling him in her arms, and the baby boy stopped squalling to look up at the girl with huge golden eyes. Kagome smiled and brushed back his white hair, tickling him under the chin, and was rewarded with a burbling laugh. The half-demon woman watched as a look of tenderness and wonder suffused in Kagome's face like the light of the rising sun.

"His name is Kajiru," Namida said.

"'Kajiru?'" said Kagome with a slight frown. "Doesn't that mean−OUCH!" Kagome let out a yelp and looked down at Kajiru, who had latched onto her finger with his teeth, a malicious little grin on his face.

Namida tried to hide her smile. "No, it does not mean 'ouch.' 'Kajiru' actually means 'to bite,' though I'm sure you've realized that already."

Kagome made a face at the half-demon woman. "Yeah, I think I did just find out," she said, wincing slightly as Kajiru began worrying at her finger like a bone. "Stop that, Kajiru!" she ordered. The infant half-demon paused, watching her with one golden eye. "Yes, I'm talking to you," she said. "And don't give me that innocent look either. Now, let go."

Kajiru seemed to be considering.

"Look, if you're that hungry, I'm sure we kind find you something that tastes a whole lot better than my finger," Kagome said seriously. "Now, be a good boy and let go."

Inuyasha peered over Kagome's shoulder. "What is that thing?" he asked.

"C'mon, you can't tell me that you've never seen a baby before," said Kagome, trying to carefully wiggle her finger free from Kajiru's jaws.

"Not a little runt like this," Inuyasha shot back.

Suddenly, Kajiru let go of Kagome's finger and pointed up at Inuyasha.

"Huh?" said the half-demon, not sure what to expect.

"Da-da!" gurgled Kajiru. "Da-da-da-da!"

"Aw, he thinks you're his daddy!" cooed Kagome, turning slightly to look at Inuyasha, a mischievous smile on her face.

"R-right," Inuyasha answered, backing away quickly. Demons he could handle, but this squirming bundle of baby had him nervous and unbalanced.

Kagome frowned. "Don't you want to hold him?"

Inuyasha snorted. "Yeah right, and have him try to bit my arm off too?"

"He's just a baby!" she said, surprised. "He doesn't mean any harm, do you, little Kajiru?"

"Da-da-da!" Kajiru squealed happily.

"He is so sweet," said Sango, coming over to Kagome for her turn to hold the baby.

As the two girls crooned and giggled over the infant, Inuyasha looked at Miroku in confusion. The monk held up a hand and shook his head. "It's a woman thing," said Miroku. "Just smile and nod."

During this exchange, the half-demon children had crowded closer to the newcomers, reassured by Namida's presence. Their eyes were bright and wild, brimming with curiosity, acting like they had never seen full-humans before. The little half-cat demon girl strolled right up to Kirara and began petting her, giggling with delight when Kirara shifted into her smaller, kitten-like form. The younger children seemed to be more fearless, coming right up to the newcomers, lightly touching their clothing and staring, while the older ones appeared more wary. Akaaka, the fox-girl, was still glaring at them, hands clenched tightly on her bow.

Namida clapped her hands, and all eyes turned to her. "Time for the evening meal," she said, and, with small whoops of joy, the children left the strangers and darted through the far archway. Only Akaaka, Namida, and the older half-dog demon remained with Namida.

"Shall we go?" asked Namida, gesturing towards the archway the children had passed through.

"One minute," said Inuyasha, still looking suspicious, even though he had sheathed the Tetsusaiga. "You still haven't explained why you're welcoming us. You have no idea what we're here for or why we're here. You don't even know who we are! You've taught these kids to be suspicious of all outsiders, so why the open-armed generosity?"

"But I do know who you are," Namida answered softly. "You are Inuyasha, son of Inu no Taisho, who I respected, and Lady Izayoi, who was a friend to me in her youth. Those who walk with you are Miroku the Buddhist Monk, Sango Demon-Slayer, Kirara Battle-Cat, Shippo Kitsune, and Kagome-of-the-Shards." She paused. "I knew your identities when I came close to your battle with Sesshomaru. Tanshin and Kaze confirmed this with the _keibi_-stones. There are no other bands such as yours in all the islands."

"How'd you learn about us when you're all the way out here?" asked Shippo.

Namida smiled slightly. "My talents lie in wind and water. I listened to the wind and to what the rains and rivers spoke of. The little blue-feathered girl, Tori, has an affinity with the birds, and they speak to her. And we are not so isolated here as you may think. I often travel abroad. Tales of your exploits have traveled like wildfire. The only trick is separating fact from illusion, truth from rumor."

Inuyasha growled. "But you still haven't explained why you helped us!"

"Be grateful Namida stooped to help ones such as you!" snapped Akaaka.

"Is that a challenge?" snarled Inuyasha, gripping Tetsusaiga's hilt. The two half-demons glared at one another, ready to leap into battle.

Namida looked at the angry girl. "Akaaka, let it go. There is no reason to fight amongst ourselves. There are too few half-demons as it is, and we should not aid our enemies by thinning our ranks further."

"But _why_ are you aiding them?" Akaaka demanded, whirling towards Namida, "A mangy pack of humans and a pair of weakling full-bloods…this place is not for their kind!" Her furious green eyes flicked across their faces, resting on Kagome. "And that one," she hissed, pointing at Kagome. "That one smells like blood and death!"

"Enough." Namida's voice was soft, but throbbed with power. Kagome involuntarily shrank back and Akaaka's eyes narrowed in defiance. For a moment the two half-demons stood poised, staring at each other, not moving a muscle. Then the fox-girl snarled and stormed out of the garden.

Namida sighed, and looked at the tense little group. "I must apologize for Akaaka's behavior," she said quietly. "She has had little reason to trust humans in her life. Perhaps your presence here will change her mind."

"Somehow, I don't think that's going to happen," Kagome muttered, still shaken by Akaaka's accusation. _Blood and death…what did she mean?_

The half-demon woman saw Inuyasha opening his mouth again and raised a forbearing hand. "I will answer your questions, but at the meal. The little ones will not wait for us much longer." She carefully took Kajiru from Sango's arms and walked to the archway. Inuyasha still looked angry and suspicious, but followed Namida, the others trailing behind him.

Suddenly, the half-dog boy who had stood by so silently stepped up beside Kagome. "Excuse me, miss," he said, "but do you have any sisters?"

Kagome blinked, caught off-guard by the boy's polite manner. He looked so much like Inuyasha, except for the streak of black in his hair that she'd expected him to act just as brashly. "No," she said, shaking her head. "I only have a little brother."

"Thank you," said the boy, inclining his head and stepping away.

_What was that all about?_ Kagome wondered. As they followed Namida towards the dinning area, she looked back over her shoulder at the boy. He was following them, a frown of concern on his face and a thoughtful look in his golden eyes.

---


	7. House of the Hanyou

Chapter 7

_**House of the Hanyou**_

Namida led the little group out of the small garden into a long, narrow corridor. A high wall arched on their left, but to the right there was an awning covering what looked like the simple wooden wall of a house, windows and all.

_Make that a very _long _house_, Kagome thought, looking down the passage. It looked like it stretched the entire length of the mountain fortress. But rather than walking down the hallway, Namida turned to the right after a few steps and opened a door. The inside was dark and shadowed, far too dark for humans to navigate with any safety. Kagome paused, not wanting to enter that dark place.

But Namida seemed to understand the limitations of her companions. "_Akari_," she said softy, and white stones embedded in the walls began to glow softly, casting just enough light to see by. Paintings of dragons and demons adorned the walls in a twisting, shimmering mural and bronze sconces to hold incense cones were set at regular intervals along the walls.

Kagome was nervous as Namida led them along the winding corridors. The many twists and turns made it impossible to navigate or get any directional bearings, and the chaotic murals made her head spin.

"These halls are designed to be a giant maze," Namida said over her shoulder, as if she had heard Kagome's thoughts, "to help slow down an invading human or demon army. The many turns and doors, along with the bright, overwhelming murals, make it difficult to find your way by sight and when lit, the sconces of incense make it impossible for demons to navigate by smell. The farther one goes the more confusing the maze becomes…and the more deadly its surprises."

"How do you keep from getting lost?" asked Sango, curious about the defenses of Seidou, which were so different from her simple stockade home.

"Practice," answered Namida. "All of the children have been trained to pass through the maze unaided, blindfolded, if necessary. And there are other ways of finding your way besides sight and scent." She glanced back over her shoulder. "I suggest that none of you enter doors marked with a red sun on the lintel posts unless you are with one of the children or myself."

"Isn't there a less…inconvenient way for you to travel?" Miroku asked.

"Yes," came the simple reply, "but I thought it best to take you this way first."

_Ah, I see…a test perhaps?_ the young monk wondered. _Or a way to show us that while here, _they_ have the advantage?_

"We're staying on the outskirts of the Complex as it is," put in the half-demon boy from the rear of the group.

"The Complex?" Kagome repeated, puzzled.

"That's what we call the parts of Seidou that are basically one big decoy," the boy answered. "Since there aren't that many of us, we really don't need that much living space. The rest just buys us time if an enemy breaks through the barrier shields. Plus," he added with a wry grin, "Seidou looks much more impressive this way than a collection of huts with a wood fence."

"The dragon's size can deter an enemy…" began Namida.

"…but the flea's bite can be the most deadly," finished the boy, sounding like he was repeating a familiar adage. Namida nodded slightly in approval.

"Huh," snorted Inuyasha. "Whoever came up with that obviously hadn't met Myoga."

"And perhaps you underestimate your retainer," said the half-demon woman.

"I doubt that," answered Inuyasha. "Myoga _always_ runs at the first hint of danger."

Namida said nothing, but Kagome caught a hint of a smile on her face.

Suddenly, the woman stopped and pressed her hand against the wall. There was a faint grinding sound and the wall swung back like a door. Namida turned to meet their wide eyes. "I told you there are other ways through the maze…if you know where to look." She motioned them through into yet another corridor and Kagome saw that the hidden door fit seamlessly back into place, leaving no trace of a passage at all.

This process of traveling through a hall and then passing through a hidden door was repeated two more times, but Kagome could never find the doors or the means of opening them, no matter how hard she looked.

"Have you been able to see any difference between the doors and the walls?" she whispered to Inuyasha.

"No," he muttered. "She's got 'em hidden real well. But a demon could just bust through all these walls, door or no door, with enough power."

"But power is the key," said Namida. "By this time, almost any demon would be exhausted from breaking through the shield barriers and getting past or around the wards on the walls. And the Complex is made of stuff far sturdier than mere wood."

Sango and Miroku touched the wall. "It feels like wood to me," said Miroku.

"Try hitting it," said the half-demon boy, a fanged grin crossing his face.

That face looked a little too much like Inuyasha looking for trouble for Kagome's peace of mind. "Um, Miroku," she said, "I wouldn't try─"

_THWAP! _"Ouch!"

"─that," Kagome finished an instant too late.

"What _is_ that stuff?" Miroku asked, holding his hand and glaring at wall. "It's way too hard!"

"It's a solid substance that comes out of the ground," said the _hanyou_ boy with a wicked grin. "I think you call it 'rock.'"

Miroku glared at the wall and then looked at Namida. "Sculpted from the side of the mountain?" he asked.

She nodded.

"And then sheathed in wood to disguise it," the monk finished, thoughtfully rubbing his throbbing hand.

"You did _all_ this?" asked Inuyasha. "How much bloody power did this take?"

Namida glanced back at him. "A lot," she replied, "though the waterfalls helped. They had carved out much of the rock before I came. I had to divert their channels and make some minor adjustments, but I worked with the natural shape of the mountain as much as possible. Much more structurally sound that way."

"But what about from above?" Kagome inquired. "Most of the demons we've seen can either fly or leap amazing heights. How do you keep those away?"

"We have our ways," Namida replied. "Perhaps I shall show you some later." She paused. "Ah, here we are." A blue-clawed hand pressed against the wall once more. This time, the grinding was louder and it took longer for the door to open.

Kagome felt a cool night breeze blow against her face and Namida motioned them through onto an open pavement made of the same smooth rock as the rest of Seidou. Another wall loomed in front of them, but some distance had been left between it and the Complex. A simple, but strong wood gate was the only break in the sheer gray stone. Namida looked back into the lit corridor they had left, whispered, "_Kasuka_," and the pale white light of the stones faded until darkness reclaimed the halls. Then she closed the door, leaving the passage invisible once again.

Miroku felt like his neck was going to break as he stared up at the huge wall. Even the gate, which really wasn't that big, gave the impression of indomitable strength. It was rather overwhelming…which was probably what Namida had had in mind when she built Seidou, to demoralize the enemy. More wards and runes twined around each other in fantastic patterns, which only added to the protective strength of the structure. The white-haired woman led them towards the gate, which creaked open at their approach, leaving just enough room for them to pass through one at a time. Through the gate was a traditional three-tiered palace with arched columns and upward-curving roofs, all tastefully shaped and designed for maximum defense. Marveling at the elegant design, the group followed Namida around to the left side of the building where a few steps led through a door into the ground level of the palace.

"Welcome to my House," said Namida. "This is where the _hanyou_ children and I live most of the time."

Kagome looked around in awe. Most of this floor was taken up by one big, open room. Weapon racks stood in orderly rows along the walls, punching bags hung from the ceiling, and pillows for sitting littered the floor. Lanterns hung from the gracefully carved support columns.

"It looks like a training room," said Sango.

Namida nodded. "It is our indoor arena. In the back is the kitchen and there are hot-spring baths portioned off by those bamboo walls." She nodded to the left-hand room. "That is the girls' baths and the boys are on the right, next to the kitchen."

A light pattering of feet came from the back left corner of the room and the little boy with white hair and green eyes appeared from behind the girls' bathing room. He grinned, showing long, needle sharp fangs.

"Lady Namida! Rosuto! You guys finally got here! What'd you do, get lost in the Complex? We're starving up here, and Ookami's ready to start gnawing on the drapes. Or on Naito, since she keeps teasing him."

Namida smiled. "I am sorry to keep you waiting, Sasuga. We are coming. Tell Ookami that he is not to eat Naito, no matter how hungry he is."

Sasuga grinned again. "I don't think he'll like that."

"Well, he'll have to live with it," said the _hanyou_ dog-boy near the door.

With a laugh, Sasuga disappeared back around the corner. The rest of them followed him, and Kagome saw a flight of stairs leading up through the floor of the second level. The room they entered had a long, low slab of polished wood with seat cushions set around the table. The rest of the half-demons were already there, even Akaaka, although she ignored the newcomers completely. Rice cakes, jars of water, vegetable stew, fish, bread, meat, and fruits were spread out in an abundant fair. Shippo looked ready to dive into the table.

Namida gestured to the cushions. "Please sit and eat your fill. Be welcome at home and hearth."

"Home and hearth," all of the children, expect Akaaka, repeated dutifully. They waited long enough for Inuyasha and the others to sit down before diving into their food in a barely constrained frenzy.

For the first couple of minutes, no one spoke and the room was filled with the sound of contented munching. All the _hanyou_ sat across from Inuyasha and the others, except for Tanshin and Kaze, who chose to sit next to Kagome. Namida did not eat, but sat at the head of the table, completely focused on giving Kajiru a bottle of milk, which kept him quiet and content. Akaaka sat opposite Namida at the end of the table, eating sparingly while watching the little group carefully.

Once Kajiru had finished his milk and the rest of them had blunted the edge of their hunger, Namida's blue eyes sought out her guests once more.

"I am afraid I have been remiss in my duties as host once again. You have already met Kaze and Tanshin in the forest, but the rest you may not know. Sasuga−" (here the little boy with white hair and green eyes looked up and grinned again) "−whom you met on the stairs is our resident trickster, a half-snake demon. Akaaka−" (again the girl scowled) "−is a half-fox demon as well as the eldest _hanyou_ here."

"Pleased to meet you," said Kagome politely, smiling at Sasuga. She looked at the black-haired girl with violet eyes and asked, "What's your name?"

The girl looked up at Kagome and inclined her head. "My name is Nodoka," she said in a quiet, melodious voice, "and this is my little sister, Eika." She put a slender hand on the shoulder of the small girl with webbed fingers. "Our father was a water-demon."

"How old is she?"

Eika looked at Kagome with eyes that were the same violet shade as Nodoka's. "I'm five!" she said proudly, holding up five webbed fingers. "Sister is _much_ older. She's _fourteen_!"

Nodoka hide a smile and nodded towards the little girl next to Eika with feathery blue hair and wide golden eyes. She looked tense and ill-at ease, hunching down as low as she could and shooting frightened looks at the humans.

"This is Tori," said Nodoka gently. "She's half bird-demon, so she's always a little nervous around strangers. Try not to take it personally if she keeps away from you. We think humans might have hurt her in the past, but since she's so young, we don't know for sure." Tori just shivered and pressed herself closer to the older girl, who made some soothing sounds, trying to calm the little blue-haired girl.

Next to Tori was the orange-haired cat-girl, who was making disparaging comments to the older boy who looked like Koga. Sitting between them, acting as a sort of living barrier, was the dark-skinned girl with horse hooves for feet. She looked at Kagome and gave a small, shy smile.

"I'm Hayai Half-Horse," the hoofed girl said, brushing her long black bangs out of her eyes. "These two are Naito and Ookami," patting first the little girl on the head and then nodding to the black-haired boy. Naito, looked at Kagome for a moment, gave a lazy wink, and went back to pestering the half-wolf demon. Ookami did his best to ignore Naito, tearing off strips of meat with his teeth, and also carefully watching the newcomers suspiciously.

"Hello, Hayai," said Kagome. "Hello, Naito, Ookami."

Naito paused and looked at the human girl for a moment, pricked her ears forward and then continued teasing Ookami at a rapid pace. The wolf _hanyou_ said nothing.

"Hayai is our resident cook," said Namida. "She prepares most of our meals."

"I'm impressed; this food is delicious!" said Miroku, accenting his statement by taking another roll. Hayai ducked her head and blushed.

"Hey, I helped too!" said Naito, looking accusingly at Namida.

"Yeah, she's really good at adding the spices to make everything taste so good," Hayai said. The little girl beamed, her pale green eyes gleaming with pride.

"What about you?" Kagome asked, turning to look at Ookami. "Do you cook? Or are you a hunter?"

The boy paused a moment, then snapped his teeth at her. Sasuga rapped the older boy on the nose with his spoon.

"That was rude, Ookami!" said the snake _hanyou_. "She didn't do anything to you!" When he got no reply, Sasuga sighed and looked at Kagome. "Don't mind Ookami, he's really anti-social. Doesn't like being around us non-wolves, just 'cause we're not silly enough to stand on a rock and howl at the moon."

Ookami dropped his meat and put Sasuga in a headlock. "Take that back, little white worm," he growled.

Sasuga wiggled and squirmed, trying to free himself. "Hey, hey, let me go, you flea-bitten mongrel!"

A pair of hands plucked the two boys from their seats and held them by the scruff of their necks. "That's enough horseplay at the dinner table for tonight," said the older dog-_hanyou_ sternly, though his golden eyes gleamed with amusement. This was apparently a familiar scene, for the rest of the half-demons just smiled or snickered behind their hands. Shippo nearly choked while trying to laugh and drink at the same time until Inuyasha pounded him on the back. The boy lowered the younger half-demons back into their seats. Ookami was still muttering something about "slimy little pipsqueaks" while Sasuga tried unsuccessfully to hide a triumphant leer.

"And what is your name?" Kagome asked the dog-_hanyou_.

"Rosuto," he replied, bowing his head.

Kagome smiled. "I'm Kagome, and my friends here are Inuyasha, Shippo, Miroku, Sango, and Kirara. We're very happy to meet all of you. None of us had any idea that there were other half-demons besides Inuyasha, Jinenji, and Shiori."

Namida's face grew grim. "There are not many of us. There never have been. Unions between humans and demons are rare and most do not last for one reason or another."

"How come?" Shippo asked through a mouthful of rice.

"Most women who give birth to a demon-child do not do so of their own free will," answered Namida, her eyes hard. "Some demons take pleasure in abusing mortal females, either as captives or random attacks. These women, if they live long enough to escape, are often killed by their fellow villagers because they risk birthing demon-spawn, a half-blood. This stigma can lead prospective mothers to abandon their newborns in the forest or dispose of them in some fashion to save their own lives."

Nodoka looked up. "Some pairings are not born from violence," she said softly. Her violet eyes turned towards Kagome. "Our mother was originally sent as a sacrifice to a water-demon, but he fell in love with her and married her. Eika and I were born among the _yokai_, and lived as one of them for a time."

"What happened?" asked Sango.

Nodoka looked away. "Other demons didn't like how Father treated Mother and Eika and I. So they came and killed everyone. Eika and I were the only ones to escape. I don't know how long we wandered before Lady Namida found us and brought us here to Seidou." Eika squeezed her sister's hand reassuringly, and the older girl gave a small smile.

Namida nodded in acknowledgement of Nodoka's argument. "That is how I found most of these _hanyou_ children, lying abandoned in the forest or running for their lives with the ruins of their homes burning behind them. This world is not kind to half-bloods, and I have done my best to aid them."

"So that is why you created Seidou," said Miroku, "to act as a sanctuary, a home for half-demons."

"And a school as well," the half-demon replied. "Here they are trained in the skills that will enable them to survive in the outside world. They can develop their powers and master both weapons and words without fear of condemnation."

"But the demons keep coming," Sango said softly.

"Yes, there are always demons hungry for power and destruction."

"That's why Lady Namida tells us we must fight demons and be friends with humans," said Kaze brightly.

"Why?" snorted Inuyasha. "Humans can be as big a pain as demons."

"But humans are far more willing to accept half-bloods like us," answered Hayai.

"That's cause we're stronger and they know we can kick butt," Naito said with a wicked grin.

"Naito!" cried Tanshin, shocked. "You know that we aren't better than humans just because we're stronger!"

"Really?" said Inuyasha. "Who fed you that line?"

"I did," Namida replied quietly, "because it is true. The moment we set ourselves up as better than the humans is the moment that we make them resent and fear us. That is the best way to make enemies, which is something we cannot afford."

"That's why demons always try to kill us, because they think they are better," Rosuto commented quietly.

"And you're mad if you think humans can _ever_ be on the same level as us!" growled Akaaka, savagely stabbing a slice of meat with her knife.

Sensing the potential for another argument, Sango quickly intervened. "Milady, did you build this part of Seidou as well?"

Gratitude flickered in the white-haired woman's eyes as she answered Sango's question. "Yes, though it took longer. This House is not made of sculpted stone, but entirely of wood, which is better for living quarters."

"But doesn't that leave this place more vulnerable?" Miroku asked.

"The wards and outer walls provide much of the protection," said Namida. "Wood is still strong and more flexible in some ways."

"The wood is good and sturdy," Sango mused, "but it's really no different from the stockade around the village. And that didn't even slow down the demons when they attacked."

"Your village was attacked?" asked Rosuto.

Namida watched carefully as Sango turned to look at the dog-_hanyou_.

The demon-slayer was silent for a moment. "Yes, Rosuto," she said quietly, "my village was attacked and everyone was slaughtered. I am the only survivor."

Rosuto bowed his head, hiding his face. "May their souls fly free and your own find peace," he said. Sango inclined her head in acceptance.

"I've never heard a saying like that before," said Kagome.

"It is something I have taught my wards," answered Namida, handing Kajiru to Nodoka and standing to retrieve a tea cup from a small chest by the window. "Far too often I have found that it is the souls of the living who cannot find peace with death."

"Many times the dead cannot rest either," Miroku said quietly.

"Like Kikyo," Kagome murmured sadly to herself. She had forgotten about the keen ears of dog demons.

"Kikyo?" said Namida, turning to look a Kagome in surprise. "You know of Kikyo?"

Kagome squirmed uncomfortably. This was not a line of conversation she wanted to pursue. "Yes, we've met her."

Namida blinked for a moment in confusion. "That is not possible. Kikyo died fifty years ago. I heard her death-song on the wind myself. Unless you are far, far older than you look, there is no way you could have met the priestess Kikyo." She turned back towards the chest, picking up one of the tea cups.

"Yes, she did die," said Kagome, "but then she…came back."

The room went completely silent.

There was the sound of a cup shattering as it hit the floor. Shards of porcelain littered the floor around Namida's feet. The woman's back was rigid, hands clenched into fists at her sides.

Kagome looked around at the _hanyou_ children. Tori, Naito, and Eika were all huddled around Nodoka, whimpering with fear. Nodoka, her eyes wide, clutched Kajiru to her chest and drew the little ones in as close as she could, as if she was shielding them from something. Kaze and Tanshin hung onto to each other staring at Kagome. Hayai tossed her head nervously, looking like she wanted to run, but couldn't. Sasuga and Ookami had their daggers out, looking like they expected an attack at any moment. A low growl rumbled in Akaaka's throat. Rosuto just looked grim.

"W-what is it?" asked Kagome, frightened by this sudden change. "D-did I say something wrong?"

A cold, low, harsh voice answered her. "What you have said is impossible," said Namida, her back still facing them. "The dead are dead! They do not come back!"

"But Kikyo is alive!" said Inuyasha, looking around at the terrified half-demons.

"Not really," Miroku put in. "Kikyo's body is made of grave soil and bones, animated by the souls of the departed. She's not dead, but she really isn't alive anymore either."

Eika moaned softly. "Hate song, bad song, dead song!" she cried, repeating it over and over as Nodoka tried to hush her.

"The killer, the destroyer," whispered Sasuga.

"_Nai Onna Ayumi_," Rosuto said softly, his eyes quiet and sad, "the Dead Woman Walking."

Kagome gasped as she saw red running down Namida's fists and pooling on the carpet. The woman's hands were clenched so tightly that she had driven her claws into her palms, drawing blood. Yet she continued to stand there, still and silent.

"Who did this?"

Kagome jerked. "W-What?"

Namida dug her claws even deeper into her palms, her face still hidden and her voice low and tight with barely suppressed fury. "I want to know who _dared_ to desecrate my granddaughter's grave!"

---


	8. Cold Winds

Chapter 8

_**Cold Winds**_

Inuyasha felt like he'd had the breath knocked out of him. _Kikyo is related to this half-demon?_ he thought, staring at Namida in astonishment.

"Kikyo is…your granddaughter?" Kagome asked carefully.

"Answer me! Who _dared_ to desecrate her grave!" growled Namida. An icy wind had begun to blow through the room, chilling them to the bone.

"An ogre called Urasue came to Kikyo's village and took her bones and earth from her grave," answered Miroku, "and later kidnapped Kagome to steal her soul and place it in this…doll that would do her bidding. But Kikyo's original personality was too strong and she retained an independent identity, killing the ogress." He kept his voice level and neutral, trying to calm Namida. The demonic aura surrounding the _hanyou_ had begun to pulse more strongly and he feared the possibility of its eruption.

"But it has been destroyed."

Miroku blinked. "Milady?"

"This creation…you destroyed it, correct?" Namida repeated.

The monk hesitated.

"No, we didn't," answered Sango. "She fell from a cliff when Kagome broke free of Urasue's spell and we thought Kikyo had perished, but then we ran into her again."

"And you did not kill this thing?" Namida growled.

"No!" said Inuyasha, glaring at Namida's back. "Why should we kill Kikyo?"

"It's an abomination!" hissed Akaaka.

Inuyasha leapt to his feet, drawing the Tetsusaiga. "Kikyo is NOT an abomination!" he snarled.

The fox-_hanyou_ was also on her feet, hand gripping her tai-chi sword. "Anything dead that is brought back to life is an abomination and should be destroyed!"

"_NO_!" Inuyasha roared, raising the Tetsusaiga.

"SIT!"

Inuyasha slammed into the floor.

Kagome looked at the red-haired girl. "You aren't helping matters, Akaaka," she said, her voice tight. "Please stop."

Akaaka sneered. "You think I'm going to obey _you_, little human girl-child? I have no beads that bind me to your will."

Namida abruptly turned, and everyone at the table tensed, human and _hanyou_ alike. But the woman simply stepped to the window and looked out, resting her hands on the window sill. Her white hair obscured her face as she looked out. For a long moment, she was silent, and then let out her breath in a long, deep sigh.

"So," said Namida quietly, "my last descendent is one of the undead. Heh." She bowed her head in silence once more.

"Milady..." Nodoka whispered, "What shall we do?" The young water-_hanyou_ was trying to appear calm, but there was a wildness in her violet eyes, a wildness born of fear.

"Kill it!" snarled Akaaka. "Kill it before it comes again!"

Inuyasha pull himself to his feet. "Again? You mean you've seen her? Where?"

The half-demons glanced at each other, as if unwilling to reveal any more. Then Namida spoke.

"For the past several weeks," she said, "I have sensed a presence lurking along our borders. Many of the alarm-spells have been triggered, but whenever I go to investigate, I find nothing. No tracks, no marks, nothing but a faint scent, and even that is unclear."

"But your shields have repelled it, right?" asked Miroku.

Namida paused. "Some of the spells that were triggered are deeper in past the outer shield spells."

"So whatever it is can break your shields," said Sango grimly.

"No, it does not break the shields," the woman replied, still in a calm expressionless voice. "It passes through them as if they did not exist."

Kagome stared. She could see, even from her short while at Seidou that the half-demons relied heavily on those shields to slow down and weaken any invaders. For someone to pass through the barriers…that was a serious threat to the security of Seidou.

"And how do you know it was Kikyo?" Inuyasha demanded angrily. "You said yourself that you found no signs and only a faint scent. So how do you know it's her?"

"Because she did _this_!" Akaaka shouted, reaching to Rosuto and tearing his robe from his right shoulder.

"No, Akaaka!" cried Rosuto, trying to pull the sleeve back on, but it was too late.

"Oh my God…" whispered Kagome, putting a hand to her face.

There, in the middle of his shoulder, was a gaping wound. The flesh was seared and charred black, as if with fire, and the edges of it were raw and red. Blood oozed in a slow trickle, congealing, but never closing the injury.

Rosuto winced as he tried to redo the bandage that Akaaka had torn off. "That wasn't necessary, Akaaka," he said quietly.

"It was!" the fox-girl replied in a harsh voice. "They had to see what that undead witch did to you!"

"Rosuto," Kagome asked slowly. "Did…did you see Kikyo? Was she the one who hurt you?"

The dog-_hanyou_ looked away. "I was scouting the middle barriers alone about three weeks ago," he answered. "We had seen a few alarm-spells tripped and were trying to catch the culprit. I had picked up a faint scent and was trying to trace it when a feeling of foreboding overcame me, like someone was watching me. As I started to turn around, I smelt something flying towards me and tried dodging. An arrow, burning with blue flames sunk into my shoulder. If I'd been a hair slower, it would have pierced my heart, and if I'd been a full-demon, its sacred fires would have killed me. I fled with the arrow burning deeper into me, and as I ran, I saw a black-haired woman dressed in red and white, with a bow in her hand and ice-cold eyes."

Gentle golden eyes were raised to meet Kagome's wide brown ones. "She looked almost exactly like you, Kagome," said Rosuto softly. "But when I saw you, I knew that you could not have been the same person. Your eyes were warm and alive and your scent is completely different. But your shared likeness was too uncanny to be coincidence. That's why I asked if you had any sisters."

Kagome felt her blood run cold.

Namida abruptly turned away from the window back towards the table. Her face was still and expressionless like a _noi_ mask, and her eyes were shielded, revealing nothing of the _hanyou_'s inner thoughts or turmoil. Without a word, Namida strode to the stairs leading back to the ground level.

"Wait, where are you going?" Inuyasha said, fearing that the powerful half-demon was going to leave and hunt down Kikyo.

"I am going to use the scrying stone," Namida replied, her voice still calm and emotionless.

"We're coming too," said Kagome, standing.

Namida puased and looked back. A shocked gasp ran around the room.

"You can't do that!" cried Naito.

"Only the Lady is able to handle the scrying stone," said Rosuto. "It is forbidden to all others."

"But we've got to do something!" Kagome answered hotly. "If Kikyo's hunting Inu− I mean, hunting the Shikon Jewel shards, then we've got to know why she came here and how she's able to get through your shields! That's a threat to you and a concern for us. Please," she finished. "Please, we have to do _something_."

The lady remained silent for a moment, blue eyes weighing Kagome's words, then nodded. "Very well. Come."

Eyes wide, the _hanyou_ children stared in shock as Kagome, Inuyasha, Sango, Miroku, and Shippo followed Namida down the stairs. Kirara, after rubbing her head against Sango's leg, opted to stay with the children, leaping into Nodoka's lap.

Once again, the little group followed Namida, heading towards one corner of the training room. The woman stooped and lifted up a portion of the floor, revealing an open trapdoor and a second flight of stairs. This staircase was narrow and winding, diving deep into the bowls of the mountain and white stones like the ones in the Complex gave off a small amount of light. The temperature continued to drop the deeper they went and Kagome shivered, feeling the weight of the walls slowly closing in. She had never been claustrophobic, but this place was giving her the creeps, like dozens of unfriendly eyes were watching her.

A blue glow began to fill the stairway coming from a source somewhere up ahead. It reminded Kagome of the _keibi_-stones that Kaze and Tanshin had used to test them in the forest. As they came around a turn in the stairs, Namida bent her head to pass under a law archway into a small cave. The rest of the group followed…and stopped just inside the archway to stare.

"Whoa…" Sango breathed.

"Interesting," Miroku murmured.

"Pretty," said Shippo.

The light was coming from a huge flat slab of stone as tall and wide as a double door embedded upright into the far wall. It looked like it was made of living water…of perhaps the water was contained inside it or even behind it, Kagome couldn't really tell which. The liquid rippled in ever-changing patterns, casting similar light-shadows on the rough-hewn walls of the cave.

"This is the scrying stone," said Namida softly. "I must ask you to keep to the back corners of the room and you must remain absolutely silent. Do you understand?"

Sango, Miroku, Kagome, and Shippo nodded obediently. Inuyasha just crossed his arms and glared defiantly at Namida.

Kagome noticed that Namida's hands were still bleeding and dug around in her pocket for a handkerchief. "Here," she said, stepping forward. "Let me see your hands."

The _hanyou_ woman blinked, looking down at the wounds as if noticing them for the first time. She remained still as Kagome tore the cloth in half and carefully bandaged the gouges.

"Thank you," said Namida softly.

Kagome gave a hesitant smile and stepped back into the corner with Inuyasha. Shippo leapt into the girl's arms, seeking familiar protection as a sense of power began to coalesce in the room.

Namida raised her bandaged arms upward, as if in supplication, her aura pulsing and growing stronger. "Once I begin to scry, you may or may not see images in the stone. Since you are not casting the spell, any images you do see will be blurry at best. Do not be surprised, I will tell you what I see once the scrying is done. But do not make a sound, no matter what you see."

The feeling of power intensified and the water in the stone slab began to swirl and pulse with it. A soft, cool breeze began to blow, gusts intensifying, whipping around the _hanyou _woman's tall frame, hair swirling around her face and shoulders. All color seemed to be leeched from her face, leaving it bloodless and white of snow. Her eyes began to glow with the same blue color as the scrying stone.

"Kikyo,_ waga aiji, waga maigo. Hia ware, kaitou ware_!" cried Namida, her words pulsating with power. _Kikyo, my beloved child, my stray child. Hear me, answer me!_

Kagome tried to stifle a gasp as the feeling of power reached an almost unbearable level, then rushed into the stone. The strange blue water seemed to part, revealing an image. As Namida had said, it was blurry and indistinct, but Kagome could see that it was the roof of a building from a bird's eye view. The image pulled back, revealing an entire fortress for an instant, perhaps Seidou, before racing off at an incredible speed. Stone, the lake, trees, all flashed by in quick bursts as they raced over the forest. Suddenly, the view tilted and dove, rushing past leaves to a lower level of the forest. Kagome wasn't sure if the ground was actually shrouded in mist, or if that was just from the stone. Something silver flashed past, then another. Another sense of rushing speed and Kagome saw the back of a figure dressed in red and white with flowing black hair. Silver flashes circled around it and a quiver was strapped across its back. _Kikyo…_Kagome thought. _It's her._

Suddenly, the figure paused, as if hearing something, and turned, almost in slow motion, and fired an arrow straight at them. There was a grinding shriek from the scrying stone and the arrow, blazing with sacred fire, shot out of the stone and struck Namida in the shoulder, hurling her backwards and pinning her against the wall. The woman slumped, still. Kagome caught a glimpse of Kikyo's face with a look of distain upon it before the image in the stone melted away.

"Namida!" cried Kagome, setting Shippo down and racing to the half-demon's side, a look of fear on her face. "Namida!"

The woman did not move.

"Oh no…" whispered Kagome. _No,_ she thought. _No, this is just like what happened to Inuyasha…oh God, please no!_

A shudder rippled through Namida's frame as she slowly raised her head, and Kagome took an involuntary step back. There was still no expression on the dog-_hanyou_'s face, not even of pain. Namida glanced down at the arrow embedded in her flesh, calmly reached up and tore it from her shoulder. A small line of blood trickled down from the wound. She held it in her hand for a moment, watching the blue fires consume it, then closed her hand around the ashes.

Namida's voice was soft, as if she spoke to someone not present. "I accept your challenge, dead one." She turned and headed for the door.

"Milady, wait!" said Sango, eyes worried.

"Where are you going?" asked Miroku.

Namida did not turn around. "To destroy the abomination," she replied.

Inuyasha started to step forward in protest, but a voice made him halt in astonishment.

"No."

Everyone turned to look at Kagome. Even Namida stopped and slowly looked back. "What did you say?" the woman asked, her voice low, eyes smoldering with restrained anger. Inuyasha tensed, wondering if Kagome had pushed their host too far.

Kagome glared back in defiance. "I said no. It's murder. If you just race out there and kill Kikyo without making sure that she's responsible, then you'll be no better than the demons."

Inuyasha stared. He knew Kagome and Kikyo didn't like each other…_so why is she defending Kikyo? _he wondered.

The _hanyou_ woman and the human girl stood frozen in a strange tableau, locked eye to eye in a silent struggle. Finally Namida blew out her breath in frustration. "As you wish," she said shortly, whirling away. "I only hope that you do not come to regret your decision."

As her footsteps echoed softly on the stairs, the others looked back at Kagome, who appeared slightly dazed and shocked that the angry half-demon had listened to her.

"It seems that your words have a lot of weight with Lady Namida," said Miroku thoughtfully.

"Namida can be really scary," said Shippo, clinging to Kagome's leg. "I thought she was going to spit us on her swords like sushi!"

Sango laid a gentle hand on the younger girl's arm. "Kagome, why did you stop Namida? Even if Kikyo isn't the one breaking through the barriers, she still shot Rosuto, leaving a wound that hasn't healed. Not to mention she just shot Namida. That isn't going to make Namida happy with her."

Kagome looked at Sango. "That may have been Kikyo just now, and if so, she's probably made an enemy in Namida. But what if Kikyo isn't actually breaking the shields and didn't shoot Rosuto?"

"But…Rosuto saw her," said Shippo.

"He saw someone who looked like Kikyo," Kagome corrected. "But we know a demon who can take on the faces and forms of other people."

"Naraku," Inuyasha snarled.

"Exactly," said Kagome. "Demons know that someone is protecting this forest and this mountain, even if they don't know about the half-demons living here. They'll be drawn to this place, searching for power like Sesshomaru. What if there is something here Naraku wants? What better way to sow dissention than by taking the form of a relative?" She shrugged. "It's just a theory, but before Namida does anything, I'd rather be sure if Kikyo was really responsible."

"And if Kikyo is responsible, what then?" Miroku inquired.

"Kikyo wouldn't do this," Inuyasha said stubbornly.

Kagome glanced at Inuyasha before answering the monk's question. "If Kikyo is responsible," she said softly, "then I don't think any power in this world will be able to stop Namida from destroying her."

The chill that followed them up the winding stone stairs had nothing to do with the temperature.

---


	9. Restless Night

Chapter 9

_**Restless Night**_

The five friends made their way up the subterranean stairwell back to the training floor of Namida's House. The _hanyou_ woman was nowhere in sight, perhaps off on some errand of her own. When they reached the second floor, the terror that had gripped the half-demon children was gone as if it had never happened, Kirara successfully accomplishing her mission of entertaining the little ones. Akaaka was also nowhere to be seen, but Nodoka looked up as they entered, a smile on her face.

"All of you must be very tired and it's past bed time for the little ones," the young water-_hanyou_ said, climbing to her feet and handing the sleeping Kajiru to Hayai. "We have some rooms ready above, if you would follow me?"

"Where's Namida?" Miroku asked.

"Probably out in the gardens or on the ramparts," Rosuto answered as he urged Naito, Tori, Eika, and the pair of young dog-_hanyou_ to their feet. "She often goes outside to think or blow off steam if she's angry. She doesn't like losing her temper in front of us." He frowned. "In fact, that little display earlier is about the closest I've ever seen her to losing control completely."

Eika shivered and clung to her sister's kimono. "Hurt song, sad song, pain song," she murmured as Nodoka made soft, soothing sounds to calm her. Kirara, still in her cute kitten form, padded over and mewed, licking the little girl's face until she giggled.

"Come on, off to bed with you, now," said Nodoka as Rosuto herded the younger children up the second flight of stairs. Ookami, Sasuga, and Hayai were already disappearing up to the third floor. Kagome, Inuyasha, Sango, Miroku, Shippo, and Kirara followed the water-_hanyou_ up the steps.

The third floor of the House seemed to be dedicated entirely to the sleeping chambers of the half-demons. The stairs came up a hatch cut in the middle of the floor and sliding screen doors led off the open floor into fourteen separate rooms. Small light-stones were set above each door, providing a soft, steady light.

"You are welcome to choose separate rooms or to stay in one together, whichever sleeping arrangement suits you best," said Nodoka. "We have a few more rooms than we actually need, especially since some of us share rooms, like Eika and I."

She opened the door to one of the rooms, which was lit by more traditional lanterns, and opened a chest sitting in the corner as the six friends filed in after her.

"There are plenty of sleeping mats and blankets in these chests," Nodoka said as she pulled out some of the blankets. "The window opens out onto a balcony that runs all the way around this floor, but you can lower this screen for privacy. The baths are downstairs, as you've probably already seen, along with the necessaries, one for the boys and one for the girls. There should also be food in the kitchen if you get hungry at night, but I'll come wake you for breakfast in the morning. If you need anything, my room is directly across from this one; you'll see my name on the door. Oh, and please do not go up to the fourth floor."

"Why not?" asked Sango, looking curious.

"Because Namida's rooms are up there," Nodoka replied. "Even we don't go up there unless Namida takes us. Like the scrying stone, it is something that the Lady must do alone." The young water-_hanyou_ looked at the friends curiously. "I still do not understand why she let you go with her when she used the stone. She must really trust you."

"Or she doesn't expect us to leave this place alive," growled Inuyasha.

Nodoka's calm violet eyes flashed with what looked like anger. "You don't know the Lady Namida, so don't try to judge her or her actions. She has given _everything_ to aid and protect half-demons, and since you are the son of friends of hers that means this is the safest place you could possibly be. Did it ever occur to you that perhaps the Lady brought you here to protect you?"

"As if I need protection," Inuyasha snorted. "And from what?"

"The _Nai Onna Ayumi_," she replied softly, "Or perhaps another enemy unknown to you. The Lady has been alive a long time. She has seen and learned much. If I were you, Inuyasha, I would listen to her advice." With that, Nodoka bowed, and left the room, sliding the door shut behind her.

Miroku flung himself down onto one of the mats, crossing his arms behind his head and looked up at the ceiling. "Well, I don't know about the rest of you, but my bump of curiosity is eating me alive right about now."

"I wonder why Namida got so upset," Sango mused, leaning her hirai-kotsu against the wall and sitting down on another mat. "I mean, learning that your granddaughter's grave was disturbed would be hard to take, but it seemed like she overreacted. For a moment I was afraid she'd start attacking us."

"And what is that thing about Kikyo being her granddaughter anyway?" Shippo chimed in, while trying to stifle a yawn. "I mean, Kikyo's human, right? And Namida's a half-demon. How could a half-demon have a full human descendent?"

"But if they _are_ related in some way, it would perhaps explain why she listens to you so much, Kagome," added Miroku, still thoughtfully studying the ceiling.

"Might also explain why Akaaka hates me too, after what happened to Rosuto," said Kagome glumly. She couldn't help but feel a twinge of anger towards Kikyo_. I'm tired of getting mistaken for her or being treated like I_ am _her_, Kagome thought, _like I'm somehow responsible for her actions._

"Cool it people, we still don't know if it really was Kikyo out there," said Inuyasha, arms folded defiantly.

"But I'm pretty sure that Kikyo _was_ the one who just shot Namida," said Kagome quietly. "That fact you can't deny."

"And I'd give a great deal to know why Kikyo would do such a rash thing," said Miroku.

"And how she managed to send an arrow through a scrying crystal," added Sango.

"Or how she even knew Namida was scrying her," Kagome agreed.

Inuyasha grumbled and glared, but deep down, he knew his friends had made valid points. And the stubborn dog-_hanyou_ had a sinking feeling that it really was Kikyo out there passing through the barriers and shooting the half-demons of Seidou. _The only question is, why? Why would she attack half-demons? Why, when she knows better than anyone the prejudice and danger we face from humans and demons alike?_

"Look, I'm not going to jump to conclusions until I see for myself what's going on," said Inuyasha. "I'm not sure I trust this Namida. She could be setting a trap for us."

Sango tilted her head to one side. "To what purpose?"

"I just feel like we're being kept in the dark," muttered Inuyasha, feeling frustrated that his friends were trusting the half-demon women so easily. "That Namida or the other half-demons know something and aren't telling us. I don't like it."

"I don't think that's the case, Inuyasha," said Kagome thoughtfully. "Even if they do know something, I don't think the children are deliberately trying to mislead us, and Namida seems to genuinely care for them. She's just trying to protect them and I think she might be trying to help us as well, but this thing with Kikyo really has her worried, although I'm not sure exactly how or why."

"And it is possible that there is an evil force out there we aren't aware of," said Miroku. "Namida is undoubtedly a very old half-demon to have such a strong aura, so she's probably made some serious enemies over the years…enemies that wouldn't hesitate to take out a small band of travelers in possession of shards of the Shikon Jewel. Meeting Tanshin and Kaze in the woods may have just saved our lives."

Both Kagome and Sango shivered at the thought, and even Inuyasha had to admit that he hadn't thought of that possibility…though it didn't lessen his feelings of suspicion and natural caution.

"What are your thoughts, Shippo?" asked the monk, levering himself up on one arm.

But the small fox-demon was in no mood to reply. He had fallen asleep sometime during the conversation, curled up with an also-sleeping Kirara. Kagome smiled tenderly at Shippo, carefully covering him with a blanket.

"I suppose we should follow Shippo's advice and get some sleep," said Miroku with a grin. "It's been a long day and I suspect that tomorrow will be filled with just as many surprises."

Within a few minutes, everyone had settled down, wrapped up in the warm blankets, the room silent save for the soft sounds of their breathing. Only Inuyasha remained awake, sitting on top of the blanket chest by the window, Tetsusaiga at his side, looking out over the moon-soaked expanse of Seidou at a still, slender figure who stood upon the ramparts, the night wind whipping through long, snow-white hair.

---


End file.
